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

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.