PAN/SAN/SWNT ternary composite: Pore size control and electrochemical supercapacitor behavior

Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) act as a compatabilizer for polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN) copolymer blends. Carbonization of PAN/SAN/SWNT blend films results in pore widths in the range of 1–200 nm, while carbonized PAN/SAN blend films resulted in pores with typical width of 1–10 μm. Electrochemical supercapacitor behavior of the carbonized PAN/SAN/SWNT films was characterized using 6 M KOH electrolyte. Surface area and pore size distribution were analyzed using nitrogen gas adsorption and the BET and DFT theories. Double layer capacity of the carbonized PAN/SAN/SWNT films was as high as 205 μF/cm2 based on the BET surface area.