A ternary nanocomposite of reduced graphene oxide, Ag nanoparticle and Polythiophene used for supercapacitors

Abstract

The ternary nanocomposites of reduced graphene oxide (rGO), Ag nanoparticles, and polythiophene (PTh), (rGO/Ag/PTh) with different initial feed ratios of [GO](o)/[Th](o) = 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 were used in a symmetric supercapacitor device formation. rGO/Ag/PTh nanocomposite has been prepared by in-situ polymerization and chemical reduction of graphene oxide. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy -Attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed in order to characterize the composition of the resulting nanocomposites and morphology. The electrochemical behavior of these nanocomposites were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) measurements in 1.0M H2SO4 solution. As an electroactive material, rGO/Ag/PTh nanocomposite shows good capacitive performance in acidic electrolyte solution, a high specific capacitance (up to C-sp = 953.13 F/g at a scan rate of 4 mV/s) at [GO](o)/[Th](o) = 0.2. Moreover, the rGO/Ag/PTh nanocomposites at [GO](o)/[Th](o) = 0.2 show high stability with 91.88% specific capacitance saved after 1000 charge/discharge processes. Furthermore, larger energy density (up to E = 28.8 Wh/kg at a scan rate of 5 mV/s and a power density of P = 2843.3 W/kg at a scan rate of 1000 mV/s) of the nanocomposites at [GO](o)/[Th](o) = 0.2 is obtained in 1M H2SO4 aqueous electrolyte for two-electrode device formation. This study has revealed that the rGO/Ag/PTh nanocomposite electrode materials may lead to a stable supercapacitor for portable electronic applications. [GRAPHICS] .