Synthesis and characterisation of metaloxides carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotube polymer composites

Abstract

Supercapacitors are energy storage devices that have attracted considerable interest over the past decades due to their applications in the fields of electrical and electronic engineering. Supercapacitors (SCs) are one of the most efficient energy storage technologies to solve the serious issues of energy shortage and environmental pollution for mankind s sustainable development. Conducting polymers and transition metal oxides exhibit pseudocapacitance with high specific capacitance, which is needed for a material to be used as a supercapacitor. However, the electrical conductivity can be tuned by forming composite materials, which results in the delocalization of electrons in the polymer backbone. Because metal oxides exhibit distinct optical, electrical, and magnetic properties when combined with a polymer matrix. The properties of these conducting polymers can be modified by the addition of nano-inorganic particles. The insertion of nanoscale particles or fillers may improve the electrical and sensing properties of the polymers. Polythiophene exhibits processability, high charge carrier mobility, stability, dissolubility, and strong absorptivity in the entire visible region. Since their invention, many conducting polymers such as polythiophene (PTh), polypyrrole (Ppy), and polyaniline (PANI) have been reported. The conductivity of these polymers can be controlled by a process called doping, which may be carried out through a chemical or electrochemical route and is characterised by charge transfer from dopant to polymer (or polymer to dopant). The electrical conductivity of polythiophene combined with nanotransition metal oxide can effectively enhance the performance of PTh/nMO nanocomposites. newline