Brush like polyaniline on vanadium oxide decorated reduced graphene oxide: Efficient electrode materials for supercapacitor

Vanadium oxides (V₃O₇) have been used as electrode materials for supercapacitor applications because of its multiple oxidation states. V₃O₇ nanoparticles were coated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) from a peroxovanadate-rGO composite by thermal microexplosive decomposition method. These V₃O₇ decorated rGO were made composite with the flexible multi redox conducting polymer (Polyaniline). The performance of the composite materials as electrode for supercapacitors was analyzed in a 3-electrode cell, obtaining a specific capacitance of about 579 F g⁻¹ at 0.2 A g⁻¹ specific current. Cycling stability is one of the main barriers noticed in V₃O₇, which limits the practical performance of supercapacitors. This is overcome by modifying V₃O₇ with rGO and polyaniline composites which produces good electrical contact resulting in higher capacitances and enhanced cycling stability when compared to pristine V₃O₇. A superior electrochemical performance and ultra-long cyclic stability of 94% over 2500 cycles was obtained through these developed electrodes.