Synthesis of Electroactive Composite Based on Poly-o-Phenylenediamine and Graphene Oxide

Thus, formation of a strong chemical bond as a result of prolonged contact of unreduced GO on a support with the OPD solution was confirmed. GO is partially reduced as a result of chemical redox interaction, while OPD is oxidized and partially polymerized. Electrochemical oxidation of the obtained composite during the cycling leads to the further OPD polymerization; here reduction of GO continues and occurs at much lower cathodic potentials than in the absence of OPD, which in this case plays the role of a mediator of the electrocatalytic reaction. PPD embedded into the composite structure does not allow RGO nanosheets to corrugate and imparts the composite morphology the shape of globules with a clearly pronounced structure.
As a result, the RGO–PPD composite is obtained that demonstrates pronounced electroactivity and a higher capacitive component in a wider range of potentials than in the case of nonmodified PPD.