Direct electrodeposition and superior pseudocapacitive property of ultrahigh porous silver-incorporated polyaniline films

A silver-incorporated polyaniline (Ag/PANI) pseudocapacitor electrode was produced using a facile electrodeposition method. By applying a static potential of 0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl through a glassy carbon electrode in the electroplating solution of 0.2 M aniline in 0.2 M H2SO4 containing 0.5 mM AgNO3 for 5 min, the Ag/PANI composite with ultrahigh porosity was obtained. Silver plays two significant roles for enhancing pseudocapacitance of the Ag/PANI composite: good electrical conductivity and fast ion transportation. The Ag/PANI composite exhibits high specific capacitance of 420 F g−1 measured in 0.5 M Na2SO4 at a scan rate of 10 mV s−1, which is about 2-fold higher than that of pure PANI. For the cycle stability, 94% of the original capacitance of Ag/PANI is retained after 2000 cycles, indicating excellent cycle stability while pure PANI has only 58% retention of its original capacitance.

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► Direct electrodeposition of Ag-incorporated polyaniline (Ag/PANI) pseudocapacitor electrode.
► Ag/PANI with ultrahigh porosity accelerates ion transportation.
► Ag introduces good electrical conductivity to the pseudocapacitive composite.
► Ag/PANI has ultrahigh capacitance and excellent cycle stability.