Preparation of a flexible polypyrrole nanoarray and its capacitive performance

Polypyrrole nanotube embedded nanopore array (PNENA) was prepared using an independent TiO2 nanotube array template-assisted electrodeposition and template removal process. All polypyrrole nanotubes were fully embedded inside polypyrrole nanopores to form a coaxial nanoarray structure and flow-through characteristic. The PNENA thin film electrode exhibited a specific capacitance of 88.6 F g(-1) in a potential range of -0.2-0.6 V and a capacity retention of 67% after the 1000 cycles in 1.0 M H2SO4 aqueous solution. A solid-state flexible PNENA supercapacitor was assembled using two symmetric PNENA electrodes and gel electrolyte, showing a specific capacitance of 13 F g(-1) at a current density of 0.005 A g(-1). This PNENA supercapacitaor also exhibited a stable capacitive performance at both planar state and bending state, showing its possibility for flexible energy storage. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.