Electrochemical deposition of poly[N,N′-ethylene–bis(salicylideneiminato)–nickel(II)] nanobelts as electrode materials for supercapacitors

N,N-ethylene-bis(salicylideneiminato)]-nickel(II) [Ni(salen)] was synthesized in situ onto the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes via a one-step potentiostatic electrodeposition as one-dimensional nanobelts. The synthetic process was free of any templates or additives. Potential played a key role in the formation of the poly[N,N-ethylene-bis(salicylideneiminato)]-nickel(II)] {poly[Ni(salen)]} nanobelts, and the electrical conductivities of the poly[Ni(salen)] decreased with increasing deposition time. The capacitance values of poly[Ni(salen)] were 272, 195, and 146 F/g at 0.05 mA/cm(2) for deposition times of 10, 20, and 30 min, respectively. The capacitance of the sample with a particle structure was much lower than that of poly[Ni(salen)] with a nanobelt structure. The poly[Ni(salen)] nanobelts exhibited a better capacitive behavior than the poly[Ni(salen)] particles because the nanobelt structure made access for the charge and ion to the inner part of the electrode easier. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 39561.