Highly Stable and Efficient Performance of Binder-Free Symmetric Supercapacitor Fabricated with Electroactive Polymer Synthesized via Interfacial Polymerization

The use of electroactive polyaniline (PANI) as an electrode material for a symmetric supercapacitor has been reported. The material was synthesized via interfacial polymerization, using ammonium per sulfate, dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DBSA), and gasoline, respectively, in the oxidant, dopant, and novel organic phase, and was subsequently employed as an electrode material to design a binder-free symmetric capacitor. As properties of PANI rely on the method of synthesis as well as reaction parameters, the present combination of reactants, at pre-optimized conditions, in the interfacial polymerization, led to the formation of PANI exhibiting a high specific capacitance (712 Fg(−1) at 0.5 Ag(−1)), a good rate capability (86% capacitance retention at 10 Ag(−1)), a very low solution resistance (Rs = 0.61 Ω), and a potential drop (IR = 0.01917 V). The device exhibited a high energy density of 28 Whkg(−1), at a power density of 0.28 kWkg(−1), and retained as high as 15.1 Whkg(−1), at a high power density of 4.5 kWkg(−1). Moreover, it showed an excellent cycling stability and retained 98.5% of coulombic efficiency after 5000 charge discharge cycles, without showing any signs of degradation of polymer.