Page 355 - Polymer-based Nanocomposites for Energy and Environmental Applications

322 Polymer-based Nanocomposites for Energy and Environmental Applications

contribute to extremely high specific pseudocapacitance [37]. It has been reported that
the protonated emeraldine form of polyaniline have a very poor conductivity, due to its
high doping level and environmental stability it is one of the most studied conducting
polymers [32,38]. It has been incorporated into chemical and electrochemical oxida-
tion techniques with a variety of substrates (i.e., stainless steel nickel, carbon, and
flexible substrates) or synthesized with a variety of resources for electrochemical sup-
ercapacitor operation.

11.8.2.2 Polypyrrole

It consists of an insoluble and inflexible polymer backbone configuration. The elec-
trochemical manner of polypyrrole-based electrode moreover depends on the elec-
trode construction mechanism of efficient surface area of the effective electrode
similar to polyaniline. Polypyrrole is usually doped through a various charge along
with particular charge anions [39]. It is known as the most capable p-type conducting
polymers for the faradic pseudocapacitor function owing to its inimitable appearance,
for example, fast charge-discharge system, excellent thermal solidity and high con-
ductivity, and high energy density and small expenditure [40]. It has been reported
that the cross-linked polypyrrole has extremely high capacitance owing to high ion
diffusivity and porosity of the dynamic matter.

11.8.2.3 Polythiophene
Generally, it displays very bad conductivity; however, the p-doped polymers are
greatly stable in the air along with humidify atmosphere. Polyaniline or polypyrrole
has higher specific capacitance as compared with polythiophene-based electrode, but
the main benefit of polythiophene is that it can be able to work in a relatively higher
potential window [41]. This extensive negative potential window helps to make an
asymmetrical kind of conducting polymer-based supercapacitor machine.

11.8.3 Carbons

It is known as the most prominent electrode material used in supercapacitors and pre-
tended to make up a bright profitable opportunity. The main reasons for the popularity
of carbon materials as supercapacitor electrodes include low cost, excellent corrosion
resistance, high capacitance, high conductivity, high heat strength, availability, and
established electrode production technologies [1]. In electrochemical double-layer
supercapacitors, carbon compounds are used to store the charge in electrode-surface
electrolyte interface. Accordingly, the pore-size distributions and surface area are very
essential, with electric conductivity. Functional groups are introduced into the carbon
materials to get better capacitance of carbon materials, as the functional groups are
connected to the pseudocapacitance that is extremely efficient technique of raising
the capacitance.