Influence of Additives on Performance of Polypyrrole–Carbon Nanotube Supercapacitors

Abstract

Polypyrrole (PP) and composite PP–multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) materials were prepared for supercapacitors (SC) using new dopants for PP. The MWNT dispersion was achieved using advanced dispersants. The 36 mg cm−2 PP electrochemical electrodes showed a capacitance of 6.3 F cm−2 at 2 mV s−1 scan rate. PP–MWNT composites showed enhanced capacitance for high charge–discharge rates and large electrode mass with enhanced cyclic stability. The mechanisms of MWNT dispersion and composite microstructure formation were discussed. Capacitance measurements provided new insight into the effect of additives on the characteristics of electrodes and cells. The SC cells have been manufactured, which showed promising performance for application in energy storage systems.