Experimental and theoretical investigations of a multiwalled carbon nanotubes/SnO2/polyaniline ternary nanohybrid electrode for energy storage

In the present work, we report synthesis of ternary hybrid of multiwalled carbon nanotubes/SnO2/polyaniline (MSP) for energy storage application. The various characterization studies such as X-ray diffraction (XRD-structural confirmation), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM-morphology), Fourier transform infrared microscopy (FTIR) and Raman (molecular confirmation), and X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS-elemental and oxidation state) confirm the ternary hybrid formation. Three-electrode system with the use of 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte reveals the electrochemical performance of the ternary hybrid. The MSP electrode demonstrates the specific capacitance value of 221 F g(-1) at the current density of 2 A g(-1). Also, it shows outstanding capacitance retention (95%) with 100% coulombic efficiency for 1000 charge/discharge cycles. From Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations, enhancement of electronic states near Fermi level and increment of quantum capacitance for the ternary hybrid justifies the experimental enhancement of charge storage performance of MSP. The interactions between polyaniline (PANI) and carbon nanotubes /SnO2 involves charge transfer from H 1s and N 2p orbitals of PANI to C 2p orbital of carbon nanotubes.

Automated summary

In this study, a ternary hybrid of multiwalled carbon nanotubes/SnO2/polyaniline (MSP) was synthesized for energy storage application. Various characterization studies confirmed the formation of the ternary hybrid, which exhibited excellent electrochemical performance.