Key Factors in Enhancing Pseudocapacitive Properties of PANI-InOx Hybrid Thin Films Prepared by Sequential Infiltration Synthesis

• Published in: Polymers Vol. 15; no. 12; p. 2616
• Main Authors: Ham, Jiwoong, Kim, Hyeong-U, Jeon, Nari
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 08.06.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Chemical reactions; Communication; conducting polymer; cyclic voltammetry; Electrochemical analysis; Electrodes; Electrolytes; Energy storage; Fourier transforms; Glass substrates; indium oxide; Infiltration; Infrared spectroscopy; Metal oxides; Oxidation; Photoelectrons; Photovoltaic cells; polyaniline; Polyanilines; Polymers; Raman spectroscopy; sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS); Spectrum analysis; Synthesis; Thin films; United States > US; South Korea; Japan
• ISSN: 2073-4360; 2073-4360
• DOI: 10.3390/polym15122616

Sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) is an emerging vapor-phase synthetic route for the preparation of organic–inorganic composites. Previously, we investigated the potential of polyaniline (PANI)-InOx composite thin films prepared using SIS for application in electrochemical energy storage. In this study, we investigated the effects of the number of InOx SIS cycles on the chemical and electrochemical properties of PANI-InOx thin films via combined characterization using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The area-specific capacitance values of PANI-InOx samples prepared with 10, 20, 50, and 100 SIS cycles were 1.1, 0.8, 1.4, and 0.96 mF/cm², respectively. Our result shows that the formation of an enlarged PANI-InOx mixed region directly exposed to the electrolyte is key to enhancing the pseudocapacitive properties of the composite films.