Compositional effects of PEDOT-PSS/single walled carbon nanotube films on supercapacitor device performance

Abstract

Supercapacitors are promising energy storage and power output technologies due to their improved energy density, rapid charge-discharge cycle, high cycle efficiency and long cycle life. Free standing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrene sulfonate)/single walled nanotube films have been characterised by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and thermo-gravimetric analysis to understand the physical properties of the films. Films with varying compositions of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrene sulfonate) and single walled nanotubes were compared by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge to understand their electrochemical properties. A comparison of the results shows that having single walled nanotubes dispersed throughout the polymer matrix increase the capacitance by 65% and the energy density by a factor of 3 whilst achieving good capacity retention over 1000 cycles.