The initial characteristics of the polypyrrole based aqueous rechargeable batteries with supercapattery characteristics

[Display omitted] •PPy was electrochemically synthesized on the plane graphite electrode.•The Zn|PPy; PbSO4|PPy and PPy|PbO2 cells were investigated.•Charge-discharge characteristics of the cells were examined.•Specific capacity, energy, energy efficiency and the power of the cells was estimated.•Systems shows “superapattery” behavior. The electrochemically synthesized polypyrrole (PPy) is investigated as a possible active material of the low-cost aqueous based secondary power sources in combination with zinc, lead oxide, and lead sulfate. The discharge capacity of the polypyrrole in the chloride-based electrolyte (for the Zn|PPy cell) is in the range 110 mAh g−1 of PPy, while in the sulfate-based electrolyte ∼150 mAh g−1 of PPy (for the PbSO4|PPy and PPy|PbO2 cells), which is close to the theoretically calculated values. Electrochemical and electrical parameters, reactions in the cells, specific capacity, specific capacitance, energy, and power, for the Zn|PPy, PPy|PbO2 and PbSO4|PPy cells are determined. In addition, the energy efficiency, for the considered systems is estimated. Obtained values of the specific power and energy, could classified investigated systems as a battery type hybrid superacapacitors or “supercapattery”.