Synthesis and Electrochemical Evaluation of Conductive Polyacrylamide Nanocomposite Hydrogels

ABSTRACT Conductive hydrogel nanocomposites containing graphite, graphene oxide (GO), and graphene particles were synthesized by free radical polymerization in aqueous solution. The effect of cross‐linker, initiator, graphite, GO, and graphene concentrations on water absorbency and electrical conductivity of hydrogels was investigated. The synthesized composites were then characterized by X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The graphene/polyacrylamide hydrogels showed highest conductivity of about 0.2 S cm −1 , and specific capacitance of polyacrylamide/graphene hydrogel in H 2 SO 4 solution was found to be 616 F g −1 .