Polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide coated fabric electrodes for supercapacitor application

•PPy–RGO-fabric for supercapacitor application was fabricated.•The PPy–RGO-fabric exhibited a high electrical conductivity of 1.2 S cm−1.•The PPy–RGO-fabric supercapacitor showed a maximum discharge capacitance of 336 F g−1.

Flexible and wearable energy storage devices are strongly demanded to power smart textiles. Herein, reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and polypyrrole (PPy) were deposited on cotton fabric via thermal reduction of GO and chemical polymerization of pyrrole to prepare textile-based electrodes for supercapacitor application. The obtained PPy–RGO-fabric retained good flexibility of textile and was highly conductive, with the conductivity of 1.2 S cm−1. The PPy–RGO-fabric supercapacitor showed a specific capacitance of 336 F g−1 and an energy density of 21.1 Wh kg−1 at a current density of 0.6 mA cm−2. The RGO sheets served as conductor and framework under the PPy layer, which could facilitate electron transfer between RGO and PPy and restrict the swelling and shrinking of PPy, thus resulting in improved electrochemical properties respect to the PPy-fabric device.

Graphical abstractPPy–RGO-fabric supercapacitor exhibited a specific capacitance of 336 F g−1 and a energy density of 21.1 Wh kg−1 at 0.6 mA cm−2.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide