ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Cobalt ion-doped polyaniline, poly(N-methylaniline), and poly(N-ethylaniline): electrosynthesis and characterisation using electrochemical methods in acidic solutions

Evrim Hur and Andac Arslan

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Science, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Eskişehir, Turkey

E-mail: evrimhur@ogu.edu.tr

Abstract: Cobalt ion (Co²⁺)-doped polyaniline (PANI-Co), poly(N-methylaniline) (PNMA-Co), and poly(N-ethylaniline) (PNEA-Co) films were synthesised electrochemically on a pencil graphite electrode (PGE) and their electrochemical properties were investigated for supercapacitor applications. The polymer film-coated electrodes (PGE/PANI-Co, PGE/PNMA-Co, and PGE/PNEA-Co) thus obtained were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and different electrochemical methods. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were employed in 0.1 M H₂SO₄ solution to calculate the specific capacitance (C _S) values of the electrodes. The maximum C _S of 192.94 F g⁻¹, 139.83 F g⁻¹, and 47.12 F g⁻¹ were achieved for PGE/PANI-Co, PGE/PNMA-Co, and PGE/PNEA-Co at 1 mV s⁻¹, respectively. On the other hand, the charge/discharge stability of the electrodes was analysed using the repeating chronopotentiometry (RCP) method. The RCP measurements indicate that the electrodes could be used as an electrode active material for low voltage supercapacitor applications.

Keywords: doped polyaniline – cobalt ions – pencil graphite electrode – supercapacitor

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-014-0605-z

Chemical Papers 68 (11) 1573–1583 (2014)