Hierarchical polyaniline/copper cobalt ferrite nanocomposites for high performance supercapacitor electrode

Increasing energy demand needs efficient energy storage devices, especially for mobile applications and wearable electronics. Conducting polymer based nanocomposite offers excellent charge transfer mechanism with high energy storage ability. Herein, we report preparation of polyaniline/copper cobalt ferrite (PANI/CCF) based nanocomposites to fabricate supercapacitor electrodes. In-situ polymerization of PANI ensures the formation of a well-mixed nanocomposite of PANI and CCF. Detailed structural and morphological analysis reveal the formation of a core-shell type structure with CCF as the core and PANI as the shell. The core-shell structure was formed due to the presence of a synergistic interaction between PANI and CCF. Particle size distribution shows a well distribution with an average size ~100–120 nm, contributing significantly towards high energy density at high power density. The supercapacitor electrode based on 8:1 material shows significantly high capacitance of 408.8 F g−1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s−1 and 460.1 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 current density. The energy storage capacity enhanced significantly for 8:1 weight ratio of PANI and CCF. The PANI/CCF 8:1 nanocomposite shows energy density of 23 and 18.2 W h kg−1 at power density of 150 and 1500 W kg−1, respectively with a good cyclic life (~91 % retention after the 1500 cycle). Consequently, PANI/CCF 8:1 nanocomposite has excellent potential for supercapacitor electrodes for energy storage applications.