Material Design and Characterization of Conducting Polymer-Based Supercapacitors

The recent emerging technologies (e.g., hybrid vehicles and wearable electronic devices) laid down critical and stringent considerations for their power sources. In this regard, supercapacitors (SCs) have become an attractive energy storage solution, thanks to their superior power density and stability over batteries. The continuous development of SCs is an active field of research toward practical application and commercialization. Yet, finding electrode materials with high capacitance, excellent cycle-life, and mechanical stability is of major interest to exceed the current state-of-the-art SCs. The unique set of features of conducting polymers (CPs), including remarkable electrochemical properties, tunable synthesis, solution-processable capabilities, and mechanical flexibility, promotes them at the forefront of materials for SCs electrodes. This review provides a comprehensive summary of CP-based SCs technology. We first start with a brief overview of CPs’ unique properties and the principal synthetic methods that enable innovative fabrication. Then, a compact summary of the electrochemical and physicochemical characterization techniques is presented to assess the quality and mechanism of CP-based SCs. We limit our discussion to the published works in the last ten years. Finally, we highlight several research trends, key challenges, and opportunities of CP-based SCs for future research and development.