Enhanced Supercapacitor Performance Through Electrochemically Synthesized Poly(Aniline-co-Thiophene-Triazine) Derivatives

Abstract

Hybrid supercapacitors have attracted significant attention due to their high energy storage capacity and excellent cycling stability. In this work, hybrid supercapacitors were fabricated by combining different materials, such as polyaniline (PANI) and thiophene-triazine derivatives, which exhibit unique electrochemical properties. PANI and thiophene-triazine derivatives were synthesized using the electrochemical oxidation method. Hybrid supercapacitor electrodes composed of thiophene-triazine@PANI/pencil graphite electrodes (PGEs) were meticulously examined using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. This comprehensive analysis enabled a detailed exploration of the capacitive performance of these electrodes, particularly concerning their behavior across varying numbers of cycles, as investigated through the galvanostatic charge-discharge technique. The synthesized materials were then characterized using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to confirm their structural and chemical properties, respectively. The electrochemical performance of the hybrid supercapacitor was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge cycling tests. The M2-based electrode demonstrated exceptional effectiveness in charge storage, with a high specific capacitance of 954 F/g at a 10-mV/s scan rate. Capacitance retention of the M2-based materials was higher than 98% at the end of 2000 cycles at 1 A/g charge-discharge current densities. The enhanced electrochemical performance is attributed to the synergistic effect of PANI and the thiophene-triazine derivative.