The influence of charging and discharging on the thermal properties of a carbon nanotube/polyaniline nanocomposite electrode

In recent years, carbon nanotube/polyaniline (CNT/PANI) nanocomposites have aroused much interest because of their broad application prospects as electrodes in supercapacitors and batteries. However, a great deal of heat can be generated during fast charging and discharging processes and this can influence the efficiency of devices. In this paper, we measured the thermal properties of CNT/PANI in different oxidation states. The results indicate that within an electric potential range from −0.4 V to +0.4 V, both the thermal diffusivity and the thermal conductivity decrease obviously with potential due to the successive loss of electrons from PANI. Losing protons at higher voltages leads to a reduction in thermal conductivity but a jump in thermal diffusivity. The composite material provides an example for studying the influence of the loss or gain of electrons and protons on the thermal properties of a polymer. It also provides a superb system for thermal management through electric potential.