Development and testing of polymer-based transition metals sulfide as electrode material for ultracapacitors application

Researchers are working to develop new, eco-friendly energy storing devices to meet the enhancing energy demand. Transition metal sulfide (TMS_s) with PANI can enhance supercapacitor electrodes' electrochemical energy storage capacity. The limited energy density of TMS_s restricts their widespread use as supercapacitor electrode materials. This work aims to improve the electrochemical performance of ZrS₂ through a nanocomposite with PANI. This study fabricated ZrS₂/PANI, which exhibits enhanced charge storage capabilities, made up of agglomerated ZrS₂ nanoparticles synthesized using hydrothermal methods. ZrS₂/PANI showed a specific capacitance (C_s) of 1148.31 F/g, while ZrS₂ displayed C_s of 701.09 F/g at 1 A/g. The exceptional electrochemical performance of the nanocomposite makes it an excellent material for redox-focused electrodes. The two-electrode systems exhibit C_s of 197.24 F/g with P_d of 900 W/kg, confirming the symmetric behaviour of ZrS₂/PANI. In a 2-electrode setup using 3 M KOH, ZrS₂/PANI nanostructures demonstrate outstanding supercapacitive performance. This is due to the unique characteristics of PANI, which provide a flexible and scalable framework for the growth of ZrS₂ nanoparticles. Moreover, the ZrS₂/PANI nanocomposite has significant potential to be used for supercapacitor electrode material, offering greater E_d (5.54 Wh/kg) with P_d (900 W/kg). The results of this work indicate that the combination of PANI with ZrS₂ enhances energy storage performance and can be utilized in various energy storing systems.