High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes Prepared From Dispersions of Tetrabenzonaphthalene-Based Conjugated Microporous Polymers and Carbon Nanotubes

In this study, we prepared a series of conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) through Sonogashira-Hagihara cross-couplings of a tetrabenzonaphthalene (TBN) monomer with pyrene (Py), tetraphenylethylene (TPE), and carbazole (Car) units and examined their chemical structures, thermal stabilities, morphologies, crystallinities, and porosities. TBN-TPE-CMP possessed a high surface area (1150 m(2) g(-1)) and thermal stability (T-d10 = 505 degrees C; char yield = 68 wt %) superior to those of TBN-Py-CMP and TBN-Car-CMP. To improve the conductivity of the TBN-CMP materials, we blended them with highly conductive single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Electrochemical measurements revealed that the TBN-Py-CMP/SWCNT nano-composite had high capacitance (430 F g(-1)) at a current density of 0.5 A g(-1) and outstanding capacitance retention (99.18%) over 2000 cycles; these characteristics were superior to those of the TBN-TPE-CMP/SWCNT and TBN-Car-CMP/SWCNT nanocomposites.

Automated summary

A series of conjugated microporous polymers were synthesized, with TBN-TPE-CMP showing high surface area and thermal stability. Blending with highly conductive single-walled carbon nanotubes improved the conductivity of the materials, with TBN-Py-CMP/SWCNT nanocomposite exhibiting high capacitance and excellent capacitance retention.