Facile template–free fabrication and charge storage behavior of polyaniline nanobelts by using the oxidation–reduction initiation system in various inorganic acids

• Published in: Electrochimica acta Vol. 386; p. 138516
• Main Authors: Zeng, Fanxin, Xiao, Yao, Shen, Yueying, Xu, Xian, Qin, Zongyi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Aqueous solutions; Atomic force microscopy; Capacitance; Charge storage capability; Cumene; Cumene hydroperoxide; Electrode materials; Electron microscopy; Energy storage; Ferric chloride; Fourier transforms; Hydrochloric acid; Infrared analysis; Infrared spectroscopy; Inorganic acid; Inorganic acids; Microscopy; Morphology; Nitric acid; Oxidation; Phosphoric acid; Polyaniline nanobelts; Polyanilines; Reduction; Spectrum analysis; Sulfuric acid; Polyaniline nanobelts; Ferric chloride; Inorganic acid; Cumene hydroperoxide; Charge storage capability
• ISSN: 0013-4686; 1873-3859
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2021.138516

•Presenting facile template–free strategy for preparing PANI nanobelts in fully aqueous system.•Using ferric chloride and cumene hydroperoxide as oxidation–reduction initiation system.•Discussing the influences of four different inorganic acids on the morphologies and structures of PANIs.•Obtaining 38.8 % improvement on the specific capacitance of the nanobelts by adding sulfuric acid. Polyaniline (PANI) nanobelts were efficiently prepared through template–free chemical polymerization by using ferric chloride and cumene hydroperoxide as the oxidation–reduction initiation system in the presence of a small amount of inorganic acids including sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid and nitric acid. The influences of the nature of inorganic acids on the morphologies, microstructures and capacitive properties of PANI nanobelts were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmitting electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X–ray diffraction analysis as well as electrical and electrochemical measurements. It is found that although all products have ultrathin nanobelt morphologies with relatively high yield, their microstructure and properties were significantly sensitive to the existence of additional inorganic acids. Moreover, the specific capacitance of the nanobelts decreased according to the order of sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, and the largest specific capacitance of 584.1 F g–1 at the current density of 1 A g–1 with the specific capacitance retention of 77.21 % after 2000 cycles can be achieved by introducing sulfuric acid. Furthermore, the differences in the capacitances of the nanobelts are discussed based on capacitive and diffusion controlled contribution. These results show that a simple and green approach is proposed for bulk quantity production of PANI nanobelts without the use of any template in fully aqueous solution, and would also stimulate the exploration of applications of these nanobelts especially as promising electrode materials for energy storage devices.