Morphology and cyclic voltammetry analysis of in situ polymerized polyaniline/graphene composites

Abstract

Graphene (G) was synthesized from normal graphite powder via graphene oxide (GO). Graphene was also produced from finer particles of graphite subjected to ball milling to check the effect of particle size of graphene on the properties of composite. PANI/graphene composites of different compositions were prepared by in situ polymerization of aniline to polyaniline in the presence of graphene powder. Graphene, graphene oxide and PANI/graphene composites were characterized by UV, IR, TEM, and cyclic voltammetry. PANI/graphene composites exhibit higher current in cyclic voltammetry study compared to either neat PANI or neat graphene. The value of capacitance achieved for PANI/graphene composites is found to depend on the size of graphene particles, finer the particle higher is the capacitance for the composites. However, the effect of composition on CV characteristics of composite is relatively less pronounced compared to the size of graphene sheets coated with PANI.