Cavity microelectrode for studying battery materials: application to polyaniline powder

The cavity microelectrode (CME) offers a new tool for studies of powder materials. By comparison with a usual composite electrode, CME allows working without any additives (graphite, binder) which insures that the results are only ascribed to the material. In this study, polyaniline powder, taken as an example, was investigated with a CME in aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes to evaluate its potentialities as a battery material in long cycle life performance. It was found that up to 85% of the initial capacity is recovered after one week of cycling (40 000 cycles) in aqueous electrolytes at various pH and 90% in non-aqueous solution.