Carbon Quantum Dot-Polypyrrole Nanocomposite for Supercapacitor Electrodes

Abstract

A CQD-polypyrrole composite was developed as a supercapacitor electrode material. Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were synthesized using citric acid as carbon precursor. The CQDs were incorporated in a polypyrrole matrix by dispersing them during the in-situ polymerization of pyrrole. The structure and morphology of the composite were characterized using FT-IR, XRD, TEM. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge studies were performed using a three-electrode system to understand the electrochemical behaviour of the sample. The composite showed a 33% increase in the specific capacitance as compared to neat polypyrrole.