Incorporation of conjugated quinone-amine polymer with rGO via strong π-π interaction for enhanced electrochemical performance

Abstract

Quinone-based polymers, characterized by reversible electron transfer enabled by a polyketone structure, have emerged as promising candidates for high-performance supercapacitors (SCs) electrodes due to their inherent pseudo-capacitive behavior. However, their practical application is often constrained by poor conductivity and stability. Herein, we introduce an innovative approach by integrating a quinone-amine polymer (PNAD-Bq), synthesized from 1,5-naphthalenediamine and 1,4-benzoquinone, with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) through one-step hydrothermal method. The π-π conjugation between PNAD-Bq and rGO effectively prevents graphene sheets aggregation, enhancing pseudo-capacitance, electron transport, and ion migration. The optimized PNAD-Bq/rGO exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance, achieving a high specific capacitance of 625.36 F/g at 1 A/g, an exceptional rate capability of 63.85 % even up to extremely high current density of 375 A/g, and remarkable cycling stability, retaining 71.56 % of its initial specific capacitance after 50,000 cycles at 100 mV/s. When employed in symmetric SCs, the PNAD-Bq/rGO delivers a specific capacitance of 534.67 F/g at 0.1 A/g and maintains remarkable cycle stability of 73.1 % after 50,000 cycles at 1 A/g. This work highlights the potential of quinone-based polymers composite electrode material as a high-performance electrode material, providing a promising pathway for the construction of high-performance electrode materials.