The new composites, polyacetylene-carbon nanotubes: Electrochemical properties

Polyacetylene- and carbon-nanotube-based composite materials are prepared by the method of polymerization filling for the first time. It is shown that the acetylene polymerization mainly occurs at catalytic centers attached to the carbon nanotubes. It follows from TEM data that in the case of single-wall nanotubes the polyacetylene fibriles are wound up onto the nanotubes. In the case of multi-wall nanotubes, polyacetylene can form separate bodies that are connected to the multi-wall nanotubes. The specific electrochemical capacity of the novel composite materials is nearly twice as large as compared with that of the composite prepared by mechanical mixing; it is by two orders of magnitude larger than the pure polyacetylene capacity. The reversibility of the Li+ intercalation-deintercalation electrode reaction appears significantly improved at the polyacetylene-carbon nanotubes composites.