Towards Using Polybenzidine-Graphene Oxide Sheet on Graphite as a New System for Supercapacitor Device Fabrication

Polybenzidine-anodic exfoliated graphene oxide sheet (PB/AEGO Nsh) graphite sheet electrode was easily fabricated via electrochemical anodization of the graphite sheet followed by in situ chemical polymerization of benzidine on the anodized graphite sheet. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dispersive Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy investigations confirm that benzidine is successfully polymerized on the graphene oxide sheets created by the anodizing process. Evaluating the electrochemical performance of PB/AEGO Nsh graphite sheet electrode shows that the electrode has an excellent specific capacitance of about 841.89 mF cm-2 at 1 mA cm-2 in aqueous 1.0 M H2SO4 electrolyte. To check the applicability of the constructed electrode, a solid-state symmetric supercapacitor device separated by PVA/H2SO4 gel electrolyte was fabricated and its electrochemical performance was checked. Investigation of the capacitance behavior of the fabricated supercapacitor device indicates that the device has an excellent specific capacitance of about 334.7 mF cm-2 (230.11 F g-1) at 1 mA cm-2, maximum specific energy, and power density of 225 mWh cm-2 and 5000 mW cm-2, and cyclic life of 76.7% after 10000 galvanostatic charge/discharge cycles with non-IR drop. PB/AEGO Nsh graphite sheet electrode shows great potential for use in energy storage devices. Formation of anodic exfoliated graphene oxide nanosheet (AEGO Nsh) by anodizationBinder-free in situ formation of polybenzidine (PB) on AEGO Nsh graphite sheet electrodeIntroducing PB/AEGO Nsh graphite sheet electrode as a new specific supercapacitorDesign of a supercapacitor device with high cycle life of 76.7% after 10000 GCD cyclesAssembling a supercapacitor device with wonderful specific energy and power density