Chitosan/polyaniline/MWCNT nanocomposite fibers as an electrode material for electrical double layer capacitors

Polyaniline-MWCNT nanocomposite has successfully been synthesized on the surface of chitosan wet-spun fibers by chemical oxidative polymerization. Morphological characterization of the nanocomposite fibers was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical properties of the nanocomposite fibers as electrode material for electrical double layer capacitors (supercapacitors) in 0.5 M H2SO4 were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods. The results showed that the nanocomposite fibers possess a specific capacitance of 14.48 F cm−2 and a specific energy of 0.0013 Wh cm−2 corresponding to a specific power of 0.011 W cm−2. Total capacitance of the nanocomposite fiber consists of pseudocapacitance produced by the polyaniline and electrical double-layer capacitance produced by fiber|electrolyte interface and chitosan.