High-capacitance supercapacitor using a nanocomposite electrode of single-walled carbon nanotube and polypyrrole

A nanocomposite electrode of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) and polypyrrole (Ppy) is fabricated to improve the specific capacitance of the supercapacitor. The individual nanotubes and nanoparticles are uniformly coated with Ppy by in situ chemical polymerization of pyrrole. To characterize the SWNT-Ppy nanocomposite electrodes, a charge-discharge cycling test for measuring specific capacitance, cyclic voltammetry, and an ac impedance test are executed. The SWNT-Ppy nanocomposite electrode shows much higher specific capacitance than pure Ppy and as-grown SWNT electrodes, due to the uniformly coated Ppy on the SWNTs. The effects of the conducting agent added in the nanocomposite electrodes on specific capacitance and internal resistance of supercapacitors are also investigated. (C) 2002 The Electrochemical Society.