Nano-wired polyaniline/VS2 composite materials for quasi-solid-state supercapacitor and zinc-ion battery applications

Electrochemical energy storage devices, including supercapacitors and metal-ion batteries, are some of the most sustainable energy technologies. The advancement of layered materials constantly improves the charge storage capacity of these devices by facilitating the intercalation/de-intercalation mechanism. In the present study, we have prepared a PANI/VS2 composite material using a facile method and used it to fabricate quasi-solid-state supercapacitors (QSSCs) and zinc ion batteries (ZIBs). In situ growth of PANI on the layered VS2 improved the conductivity and charge acceptor sites during the cycling process. The PANI/VS2 composite showed an specific capacitance of 822 F g(-1) at 2 A g(-1) discharge current density due to the pseudocapacitance contribution from PANI. In addition, the observed nanowire network of PANI over the VS2 surface facilitated the electrolyte accessibility. The assembled ZIB, with PANI/VS2 as the cathode, showed a charge storage capacity of 219 mA h g(-1) at a discharge rate of 0.1 A g(-1) with a coulombic efficiency of similar to 100% after 750 continuous cycles at 3 A g(-1). The observed higher charge storage capacity and the cycling reversibility of the devices are attributed to the robustness of the prepared PANI/VS2 composite material.