A new and facile modification method to endow graphene with a water-dispersibility was provided in this study. The remnant epoxide group on the graphene prepared by thermal reduction of graphite oxide and the amine group of potassium 6-aminocaproate reacted effectively by a simple heating process at solid state of the mixture mixed in a solvent and dried. The modified graphene with negatively charged carboxylate moiety dispersed easily and stably in water. The graphene/polyaniline (PANI) composite was prepared in aqueous system by a simple physical mixing of aqueous dispersions of negatively charged graphene and positively charged micron-size PANI particles, followed by drying. The composites mostly exhibited higher energy storage capacities as a supercapacitor electrode compared to those of graphene or PANI themselves. The synergistic effect was most evident at graphene/PANI weight ratio of 20/80. It exhibited more than two-fold of the specific capacitances of PANI or graphene. This result suggested that scaffold structure of graphene enclosing PANI particles as well as PANI particles exposed to electrolyte rather than those wholly covered with graphenes are two requisites for synergistic effect of the energy storage.

Water-dispersible graphene and water-based graphene/polyaniline composite: Preparation and characteristics

248th National Meeting (2014)

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