Preparation and Properties of Supercapacitor Based on Conducting Polyaniline/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites

Energy plays a crucial role in supporting human existence today. Renewable energy and sustainable energy sources that are attracting significant interest include solar power, wind power, and hydropower. Nevertheless, given that these energies are not consistently accessible, this study focuses on enhancing and developing the properties of materials utilized as supercapacitors. The synthesis of graphene oxide (GO) was accomplished through a modified Hummer's method, while the preparation of polyaniline (PANI)/GO nanocomposites was carried out using an in situ chemical polymerization method. The influence of reaction times and GO content on the characteristics of synthesized nanocomposites was investigated. Subsequently, the layer films of PANI/GO were coated on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass for use in supercapacitor application. The morphology, composition, and electrochemical properties of the produced samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The experimental findings indicated that a reaction duration of 30 minutes, combined with a weight ratio of aniline (ANI) monomer to GO at 1:1.5, provided a perfect specific capacitance value of 13.30 F/g. The powerful electrochemical performance of the PANI/GO electrode might result from the enhanced active sites for PANI deposition, related to the large surface areas of GO. The outcomes highlighted the significance and remarkable potential of GO in advancing high-performance supercapacitors using PANI.