Self-assembly of reverse micelles to engineer PEDOT nanoribbons, nanotubes, nanorods and their high capacitance performances

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanoribbons, nanotubes, nanorods were fabricated in a reverse microemulsion system by adjusting the ratio of sodium bis (2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) and FeCl3 aqueous solution. The morphologies and structures of nanostructured PEDOT were characterized by SEM, TEM, FTIR, XRD, and XPS. The PEDOT nanoribbons, nanotubes and nanorods can be obtained, when the volume ratio of FeCl3 aqueous solution to AOT hexane (Va/Vh) was between 2.0×10–2 and 3.0×10–2. As-obtained PEDOT nanotubes showed a high specific capacitance of 171.5 F g-1 at 0.4 A g-1, which was greater than the nanoribbons (134 F g-1) and nanorods (145.7 F g-1), respectively. Additionally, the PEDOT nanotubes exhibited excellent stability with a retention rate of 105% after 5000 cycles. This indicates that the as-prepared PEDOT nanotubes have potential applications in high capacity supercapacitors.