Nitrogen-doped porous nanocarbons-conducting polymer composite film electrodes for flexible supercapacitors

Heteroatom-doped carbtableons derived from carbonization of highly porous metal organic framework (MOF) nanocrystals have received tremendous attention due to their exceptional surface areas. They can be used as conductive supports for various electrocatalysts. Depending on the synthesis, various MOFs with different coordination structures, morphologies, and porosities can be designed for versatile applications such as gas storage, catalysis, and energy storage systems. In this work, we combine nitrogen-doped carbon nanoparticles derived from zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) with PEDOT:PSS, a conductive polymer mixture, for highly flexible supercapacitor electrode. The composite film exhibits a 3D interconnected network favorable for fast charge transfer kinetics with a high surface area. This nitrogen-doped porous carbon-PEDOT:PSS composite film shows good specific energy of 7.19 Wh kg⁻¹ and good rate performance as well as long cycle life for at least 5000 charge-discharge cycles.