Synthesis of PPy-MnO2 Nanocomposite for Utilization in Supercapacitor Applications

Polypyrrole (PPy) nanocomposites were prepared using chemical oxidation and were combined with manganese oxide (MnO2) nanoparticles. The PPY-MnO2 nanocomposite was synthesized by integrating PPy nanofibers with varying volume ratio percentages of MnO2 dopant (10, 30, and 50% vol. ratio). The structural features of the PPy and PPy-MnO2 nanocomposite were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Fourier transfor infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to demonstrate the molecular structures of primary materials and the final product of PPy, MnO2, and PPy- MnO2 nanocomposites. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) showed that the morphology of PPy consisted of a network of nanofibers. Increasing the volume ratios of manganese oxide added to the PPY nanofiber led to the increase of manganese oxide nanoparticles on the surface of the PPY nanofiber network. This resulted in a noticeable alteration in the structure of the nanocomposite. It has been observed that the nanocomposites demonstrate a significant level of pseudocapacitive activity. The highest capacitance of 236 F/g was observed when pure PPy was doped with 30% MnO2 compared to 125 F/g of the pure PPy.