Morphology formation mechanism and electrochemical performance of poly(o-phenylenediamine) based electrode materials

Polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid) (PS57-b-PAA(54)) is prepared by the Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP), and poly(o-phenylenediamine) (PoPD) and its carbon dots composites (CDs/PoPD) are synthesized by using the self-assembled micelles of PS57-b-PAA(54) as template. Rod-shaped PoPD and CDs/PoPD particles are formed with the average diameters of 263 nm and 322 nm, respectively. The PoPD exhibit a wide size distribution and diverse morphologies, while the CDs/PoPD is mostly composed of olive-shaped particles with a narrow size distribution. The PS57-b-PAA(54) induced morphological formation mechanism of PoPD and CDs/PoPD is then proposed. The electrochemical performances test characterized by cyclic voltammetry, chmnopotential, AC impedance and constant current charge-discharge tests in a three-electrode system reveals that the initial specific discharge capacitances of CDs/PoPD and PoPD can reach up to 1316 F.g(-1) and 216 F.g(-1), respectively, at the current density of 1 CDs/PoPD shows better cycle stability with the specific discharge capacitance of 830 F.g(-1) for the first cycle, and the decline to 357 F.g(-1) in 2000 cycles at the current density of 1 A.g(-1) within the potential window of -0.2-1.4 V.

Automated summary

Polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid) was prepared by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization and used as a template for the synthesis of poly(o-phenylenediamine) and its carbon dots composites. The composite material showed better cycle stability and higher specific discharge capacitance compared to the individual poly(o-phenylenediamine).