Facile decoration of polypyrrole nanoparticles onto graphene nanosheets for supercapacitors

A facile approach was developed to prepare the graphene nanosheets (GNS) supported polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles via the in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of pyrrole onto the surfaces of the GNS modified with sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) as surfactant for GNS and dopant for PPy simultaneously. The morphologies of the graphene nanosheets supported polypyrrole nanoparticles (GNS/PPy nanocomposites) with different feeding ratios were characterized with transition electron microscopy (TEM). It indicated that the PPy nanoparticles had been successfully decorated onto the GNS surfaces. The electrochemical performances of the GNS/PPy nanocomposites were investigated with cyclic voltammetry (CV), constant current charge–discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The nanocomposite exhibited specific capacitance of 294 F g−1 at the charge–discharge current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M NaNO3 electrolyte. It showed that the GNS/PPy nanocomposites might be promising electrode materials for supercapacitors.

► Well-defined GNS decorated with PPy were prepared via a novel approach.
► SDS was used as surfactant for GNS and dopant for PPy simultaneously.
► The GNS/PPy exhibited high-rate discharge ability and better capacitance.