Tailoring the synergy between polyaniline and reduced graphene oxide using organic acid dopant, pTSA for enhanced performance as electrode material for supercapacitor applications

• Published in: The Journal of physics and chemistry of solids 2022-06, Vol.165, p.110673, Article 110673
• Main Authors: Mahalakshmi, S., Sridevi, V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: p-toluene sulphonic acid; Polyaniline; Reduced graphene oxide; Spacer; Supercapacitor
• ISSN: 0022-3697; 1879-2553
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2022.110673

Optimal reduction of graphene oxide (GO) to reduced graphene oxide (rGO) through strategically planned chemical synthesis with suitable reducing agents and combining materials, prevents restacking and enhances the conductivity of the rGO sheets. The present work demonstrates such a tailoring approach towards the synthesis of rGO using aniline as a mild reducing agent. The obtained rGO with residual oxygen bearing functional groups provides adequate sites that facilitates synergistic interaction with p-toluene sulphonic acid (pTSA) doped polyaniline (PANI) chains. The resultant PANI-rGO nanocomposite exhibits a well-ordered and expanded morphology due to the organic acid dopant, pTSA that separates the interlayers of rGO sheets and the PANI chains leading to enhanced thermal stability and electrical conductivity. Modified nanocomposite electrode shows a higher specific capacitance value (450 F/g) compared to plain rGO (132.5 F/g) and pTSA doped PANI (300 F/g) at a current density of 0.8 A/g with enhanced cycling stability up to 5000 cycles. The results reveal the suitability of the nanocomposite as a potential electrode material for supercapacitor applications. [Display omitted] •rGO with residual oxygen bearing functional groups is synthesized using a mild reducing agent aniline.•PANI-rGO nanocomposites are synthesized using sulphuric and p-toluene sulphonic acid dopants.•p-toluene sulphonic acid acts as a spacer inducing orderliness between the interlayers of PANI and rGO.•PANI–pTSA@rGO modified electrode shows enhanced performance towards supercapacitor applications.