Polypyrrole nanospheres@graphene aerogel with high specific surface area, compressibility, and proper water wettability prepared in dimethylformamide-dependent environment

Abstract A polar functionalization modification is put forward to prepare polypyrrole nanospheres@graphene aerogel (PPys@GA) with high specific surface area, compressibility, and proper water wettability. Polarity of mixed solutions is regulated by controlling the volume ratio of H2O to N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to realize better dispersion of graphite oxide (GO), while PPys prepared by weak oxidant (FeCl2/H2O2) own excellent water wettability and can be easily adsorbed on GO sheets to restrain the aggregation of graphene sheets during the reduction self-assembly process more efficiently than PPys synthesized using strong oxidants. The finally resultant PPys@GA enjoys the advantages of high specific surface area (686 m2 g−1), ultralow density (7.8 mg cm−3), high Young's modulus (45.33 kPa) as well as proper wettability (a contact angle of 86°). And such excellent comprehensive properties for PPys@GA outperform many of their counterparts, which qualifies PPys@GA acting as a promising candidate for extensive applications such as adsorption, catalysis, sensors and energy storage materials.