Synergistic Interaction of Siloxene and Polyaniline Nanocomposite for High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes
Nav Deepak, Arun Kumar, A. Sarkar, Shobha Shukla, Sumit Saxena
Abstract
Siloxene, a prominent two-dimensional (2D) silicon-based material, has garnered significant attention due to its unique properties. However, its potential for energy storage as a supercapacitor electrode has been constrained by its poor conductivity, nonporosity, and limited charge transport capabilities. In this article, we report the synthesis of siloxene nanocomposites with polyaniline (PANI) to enhance the charge storage ability. The hexagonal 2D lattice structure and stability of siloxene complement the unique charge-transfer characteristics and π–π* transitions of PANI. The integration of PANI in the nanocomposite improves siloxene’s charge conduction, and the addition of oxygen functionalities enhances surface reactivity, thereby overcoming the limitations associated with active sites. This synergy creates a nanocomposite electrode with an optimized pore structure for efficient ion diffusion and accessibility. The siloxene-PANI composite exhibited enhanced energy storage with a specific capacitance of 483 F/g (869.4 mF/cm 2 @ 1.8 mA/cm 2 ). The successfully fabricated asymmetric flexible supercapacitor (SiP4//CAP) delivered an energy density of 46.2 Wh/kg (126 mJ/cm 2 ) at a power density of 501.4 W/kg (0.4 mW/cm 2 ) while exhibiting a cyclic stability of 89.6% and a Coulombic efficiency of 96.8% over 10,000 cycles.