Alternating Current Electrophoretic Deposition of Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes-Polyaniline for Supercapacitor Electrode

Abstract

The fundamental of electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique concerns on the use of liquid base colloid to prepare suspension. The pitfall of water based colloid medium has been a tendency for hydrolysis process to occur. Nevertheless, alternating current electrophoretic deposition (AC-EPD) enables water base colloid to be used and at the mean time controls the hydrolysis effect. This study evaluates the effectiveness of deposition thin film Multi Wall Carbon Nanotubes-Polyaniline (MWCNTs-PANi) nanocomposite using AC-EPD. The results were compared with direct current electrophoretic deposition (DC-EPD). FESEM image of AC-EPD shows denser MWCNTs-PANi deposition on nickel substrate. MWCNTs-PANi molecular structures were observed by FTIR analysis. MWCNTs-PANi deposited by AC-EPD consequence to higher specific capacitance and energy density compared to DC-EPD. Specific capacitance of MWCNTs-PANi nanocomposite via AC-EPD and DC-EPD were 22.9 F g-1 and 10.8 F g-1 respectively. Meanwhile, the energy density of AC-EPD is 0.0023 Wh kg-1 whereas the energy density of DC-EPD is 0.0011 Wh kg-1. This study points out that the AC-EPD has more advantages than DC-EPD technique.