Large-scale free-template electrosynthesis of poly(2-chloromethyl-2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxine) nanowires and their application for supercapacitors

Large-scale chloromethyl functionalized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanowires (PEDOT-MeCl), poly(2-chloromethyl-2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxine), were easily electrodeposited in acetonitrile solution containing 0.1 M lithium perchlorate without any templates. The PEDOT-MeCl nanowires were characterized by FT-IR, TG, SEM, TEM and electrochemical technologies. The nanowires structural PEDOT-MeCl with diameter of about 20 nm displayed good thermal stability and high specific capacitance of 174 F g−1 at 25 mV s−1. Furthermore, the energy density of the symmetric supercapacitor built by PEDOT-MeCl nanowires reached 6.95 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 1625 W kg−1, and the specific capacitance retention was 81% after 1000 cycles. The above information implied the bright prospect of the PEDOT-MeCl nanowires as electrode material for supercapacitors.