Tuning the electrochemical performance of a copper-based 2D rectangular layered metal organic framework by incorporating reduced graphene oxide and polyaniline

Abstract

To meet the challenge of developing efficient energy storage devices, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) with intrinsic properties have emerged as promising candidates. The conductivity and stability of the extended 1D π–d and π–π stacking in a 2D MOF can be further enhanced by fabricating its composite with conductive materials. Herein, a nitrogen-containing 2D Cu-PDA MOF was synthesized and mixed with conductive materials, such as reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and polyaniline (PANI), to enhance the electrical conductivity. After structural investigation, the electrochemical attributes of Cu-PDA and its composites (Cu-PDA@rGO and Cu-PDA@PANI) have been explored by utilizing different electroanalytical techniques like CV, GCD and EIS analyses. In a three-electrode assembly, Cu-PDA@rGO shows a specific capacity of 551.31 C g⁻¹. Hence, for practical applications, a hybrid supercapacitor has been designed by fabricating Cu-PDA@rGO against activated carbon (AC), which reveals a specific capacity of 159.4 C g⁻¹, a specific energy of 32.10 Wh kg⁻¹ and a specific power of 180.17 W kg⁻¹ while maintaining a coulombic efficiency of 99.4% even after 5000 GCD cycles. These excellent findings demonstrate that Cu-PDA@rGO is a potential candidate for future energy storage devices.