Application of Polyaniline for Li-Ion Batteries, Lithium-Sulfur Batteries, and Supercapacitors

Abstract

Conducting polyaniline (PANI) exhibits interesting properties, such as high conductivity, reversible convertibility between redox states, and advantageous structural feature. It therefore receives ever-increasing attention for various applications. This Minireview evaluates recent studies on application of PANI for Li-ion batteries (LIBs), Li-S batteries (LSBs) and supercapacitors (SCPs). The flexible PANI is crucial for cyclability, especially for buffering the volumetric changes of electrode materials, in addition to enhancing the electron/ion transport. Furthermore, PANI can be directly used as an electroactive component in electrode materials for LIBs or SCPs and can be widely applied in LSBs due to its physically and chemically strong affinity for S and polysulfides. The evaluation of studies herein reveals significant improvements of electrochemical performance by physical/chemical modification and incorporation of PANI.

Keywords: batteries; lithium; polyaniline; sulfur; supercapacitors.