Polyaniline/Cellulose Nanocrystals/Carbon Dot Composite for Supercapacitor Application

ABSTRACT Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), a sustainable nanomaterial, exhibit great promise as a template for fabricating supercapacitor electrodes. This study investigates the use of CNC as a precursor for synthesizing carbon dots (CD) and as a template for the in situ polymerization of polyaniline (PANI). The combined potential of CNC, PANI, and CD in developing supercapacitor electrodes is being explored. The PANI‐CNC‐CD nanocomposite electrode demonstrates a gravimetric specific capacitance of 488 F g −1 at 2 A g −1 , outperforming the PANI‐CNC nanocomposite. Furthermore, a symmetric supercapacitor utilizing the PANI‐CNC‐CD composite as the working electrode is achieving impressive results, including a gravimetric specific capacitance of 101 F g −1 at 2 A g −1 , an energy density of 14 Wh kg −1 , and a capacitance retention of 82% even after 10,000 cycles. This study presents an effective strategy for developing cost‐efficient and easily prepared nanocellulose‐based composite electrodes, advancing their demand for supercapacitor applications while aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by promoting the use of renewable materials.