SnO2-Decorated Graphene/Polyaniline Nanocomposite for a High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrode

An SnO2-decorated graphene/polyaniline (GSP) nanocomposite with homogeneous structure was prepared and adopted to achieve high electrochemical performance for supercapacitor electrode. Graphene sheets were decorated with tin dioxide (SnO2) particles, which effectively hinder the restacking of graphene nanosheets, and then were used as substrates for an in-situ polymerization of aniline monomers. The GSP nanocomposite was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, UV-Visible and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results revealed that polyaniline nanorods were orderly and vertically aligned on the SnO2-decorated graphene nanosheets via π–π stacking effect between basal planes of graphene nanosheets and phenyl group of polyaniline. The GSP nanocomposite exhibited an excellent specific capacitance of 429 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A g−1, excellent cycling stability and rate capability, which suggested a promising application for supercapacitor.