Flexible supercapacitors based on cloth-supported electrodes of conducting polymer nanowire array/SWCNT composites

In this study, a flexible supercapacitor based on cloth-supported single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and a conducting polyaniline (PANI) nanowire array composite electrode is designed and assembled. A non-woven wiper cloth is used as a flexible substrate to produce a conductive SWCNT/cloth composite by dip coating it in the SWCNT ink. PANI nanowire arrays are then successfully deposited onto the surface of the SWCNT/cloth composite through dilute polymerization to obtain the PANI/SWCNT/cloth composite electrode, which is used to assemble the flexible supercapacitor directly. The PANI/SWCNT/cloth electrode for flexible supercapacitors possesses the merits of large capacitance (410 F g-1), high rate capability, and good stability, which may lead to its future potential application in high-performance flexible devices.