Capacitive performance of polyaniline prepared by soft template method

Camphor sulfonic acid (CSA) and p-toluene sulphonic acid (p-TSA) as the soft template, polyaniline (PANI) was prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization respectively. The characteristics of the different samples were characterized by SEM, FT-IR, UV-vis and conductivity measurement. Two samples were pressed into pellets as active electrode. Electrochemical properties of different electrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Supercapacitors assembled with symmetric electrode were investigated by galvanostatic charge-discharge. The experimental results indicated that the samples prepared in different soft templates showed entirely different morphology. The PANI sample prepared with CSA as soft template exhibited nano-fiber form, electrode material presents characteristics of double-layer capacitance with good electrochemical reversibility. Otherwise, The PANI sample prepared with p-TSA as soft template exhibited microtubule form, the electrochemical performance involved not only double-layer capacitance but also faradic pseudocapacitance.