Sustainable energy storage using polyaniline‐coated red bricks as supercapacitor electrodes

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Abstract
This research explores the enhancement of traditional red bricks through the incorporation of red bricks and conductive polymer coatings to improve multifunctional properties while reducing production costs. Specifically, polyaniline (PANI) was applied as a conductive coating to red bricks, marking the first attempt to adapt conventional construction materials for mechanical reinforcement and energy storage applications. The improvements in mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, thermal behaviour, and energy storage capacity of the PANI‐coated bricks were investigated. Two different types of conductive polymer coating methods were used to strengthen the brick structure and improve the performance of the nanocomposites. This study also examined how PANI integration affects the density and water absorption of bricks, providing critical insight into their physical and structural behaviour. Electrochemical testing revealed that the PANI‐coated bricks functioned as efficient electrodes, exhibiting a high specific capacitance of 187 F g −1 at a scan rate of 10 mV s −1 in 1 M H 2 SO 4 . However, with increasing scan rates from 2 to 100 mV s −1 , the capacitance gradually decreases due to reduced ion diffusion and the inherent chemical limitations of the brick matrix. Overall, this study introduces a promising approach for transforming conventional red bricks into smart, energy storage‐active building materials.

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