Carbon nanotube-polyaniline nanotube core-shell structures for electrochemical applications

Abstract

An easy chemical oxidative polymerization has led to the self-assembly of carbon nanotube (CNT)-polyaniline (PANi) nanotube core-shell structures. Electron micrographs revealed the formation of ordered coaxial composite. Phase analysis and oxidation state study of the composite revealed a definite chemical interaction between the core and shell. The core-shell structures are found to be electrochemically active. The composite was found to possess a high specific capacitance of ∼368.4 F/g. The electrochemical behavior of CNT-PANi nanotube core-shell structures was found to be not predominantly capacitive in nature. The core-shell composite offered almost a constant specific capacitance at different current densities. The composite is expedient as a working electrode material in supercapacitors. This work paves a way for designing high performance carbon nanomaterials based core-shell structures for energy storage applications. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.