Synthesis of curly graphene nanoribbon/polyaniline/MnO2 composite and its application in supercapacitor†
Abstract
Curly graphene nanoribbon/polyaniline/MnO2 (CGNR/PANI/MnO2) nanocomposites with a unique structure is prepared. The formation mechanism of the CGNR/PANI/MnO2 nanocomposite was proposed, and the morphology and structure were characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. The CGNR/PANI/MnO2 nanocomposite was investigated for supercapacitor applications. The CGNR/PANI/MnO2 electrode delivered a very high specific capacitance of 496 F g−1, which was much higher than that of CGNR (131 F g−1), PANI (301 F g−1) and MnO2 (33 F g−1), whereas 81.1% of its initial capacitance was retained after 5000 cycles at a scan rate of 50 mV s−1. The CGNR/PANI/MnO2 electrode was also evaluated via a two-electrode configuration, and the supercapacitor delivered a specific capacitance of 103 F g−1. The enhanced electrochemical performance of the CGNR/PANI/MnO2 electrode was ascribed to the unique structure and the synergetic effect of the three components in the composite.