Specific capacitance and impedance of electrodeposited polyaniline, polypyrrole and polyaniline/polypyrrole composite films

Abstract The aim of this work was to prepare polyaniline, polypyrrole and polyaniline/polypyrrole composite films using electrodeposition techniques. Films were examined using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, which confirmed the formation of the single polymers and their composite. Morphological analysis was carried out using a scanning electron microscope and showed the flat and highly compact deposit of polypyrrole/polyaniline composites, whose morphological characteristics varied from those of the single polymers, which had porous deposits. Electrochemical properties of the materials were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. Impedance values showed that polyaniline had the best charge transfer and the polyaniline/polypyrrole composite had the highest specific capacitance value, which was 530.96 F/g. This result indicates that the electrodeposited films can find application for electrode in capacitive deionization systems.