Capacitive properties of low potential electro-polymerized polyfluorene and activated carbon composite electrode

• Published in: Science China. Chemistry 2012-03, Vol.55 (3), p.352-358
• Main Authors: Liu, Wei, Sun, MingLiang, Wang, Wei, Song, LingXia, Ge, HongLun, Sun, Miao, Zhang, QingJie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetonitrile; Activated carbon; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chemistry/Food Science; Electrodes; Energy storage; Lithium perchlorates; Photoluminescence; Redox reactions; Specific energy; Spectral emittance; 三氟化硼乙醚; 光致发光光谱; 复合电极; 活性炭电极; 电位; 电容特性; 电聚合; 聚芴
• ISSN: 1674-7291; 1869-1870
• DOI: 10.1007/s11426-011-4387-7

Polyfluorene （PF） film has been successfully electropolymerized at lower potential （0.91 V vs. Ag/AgCl） in the mixed electro- lyte of boron trifluoride diethyl etherate and trifluoroacetic acid. The PF film is characterized to have about 10 repeat units and no presence of ketonic defect site. UV-vis and photoluminescent spectral studies indicate that the PF film is blue light emitting. From cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge tests in 1 M lithium perchlorate/acetonitrile electrolyte, the polyfluorene/activated carbon electrode shows a specific capacitance of 227.1 F g-1 （per active layer mass） and reversible re- dox reaction at the potential of 1.4 V in a three electrode configuration. An asymmetric electrochemical capacitor based on this composite electrode and activated carbon electrode exhibits a specific energy of 14.7 Wh kg-1 （per active layer mass）. These results indicate that electrochemically prepared polyfluorene could be used as energy storage component for electrochemical application.