Polyaniline modified lignocellulosic fibers from sago seed shell powder for electrochemical devices

We report the development of a novel electrode material from agrarian waste, sago (Cycas circinalis) seed shell powder (SSP). Lignocellulosic fibers obtained from sago seed shell powder were modified with polyaniline (PANI) by an in situ oxidative polymerization technique. Morphological changes, thermal stability and crystallinity of modified SSP were investigated using FTIR, XRD, SEM, TGA and DSC techniques. The structural organization of SSP with the monomer of PANI significantly influenced the thermal and electrical properties of resulting PANI-SSP composite material. The developed PANI-SSP composite showed enhanced thermal stability up to 308 °C with appreciable dc-conductivity in the range of 10^-1 S cm^-1 having very low activation energy of 0.0153 eV. The I-V characteristics of the composite exhibited nonohmic behaviour similar to a diode. Thus, the chemical modification of lignocelluloses fibers opens up a new avenue for fabricating cheap, eco-friendly substrates for energy storage devices, disposable electronic applications and diverse scopes for research and development.