Phenylenediamine and 4,4’-methylenedianiline functionalized rGO as high-performance materials for improving pseudocapacitance performance and cyclic stability of conductive polymer

Abstract

Here, improved Hummer’s approach was utilized for the formation of graphene oxide (GO) from graphite. Then, using 4,4’-methylenedianiline (MDA) was utilized as a reducing agent for the fabrication of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hydrogel from the as-prepared GO. In the next step, using the electro-polymerization technique, p-Phenylenediamine (pPD), playing the role of spacer, was grafted on the prepared rGO, conducted through interfacial polymerization in HCl (rGO-PpPD-HCl) and mixing polymerization in CHCl₃ (rGO-PpPD-CHCl₃). Finally, Poly ortho aminophenol (POAP) as a p-type conductive polymer was synthesized on the channels of the as-fabricated nanocompsites. The prepared nanocomposite architecture possessed significant surface area and great pore volume, by which a synergistic effect can be obtained, leading to a superior overall performance. It was found that the specific capacitance of the fabricated spherical composite electrode with optimum results was 985 F/g at 1.0 A/g current density, and the retention rate of the initial capacity was 90 % after 3000 cycles in acidic solution, demonstrating its excellent cycle stability.