Investigation of Structural, Thermal, and Electrical Properties of Nanocomposites Based on SnO₂ Nanoparticles Dispersed in Conducting Polypyrrole Matrix

Abstract

Pyrrole was polymerized with various concentrations of SnO₂ nanoparticles, using FeCl₃ to obtain conductive polypyrrole (PPy)/SnO₂ nanocomposites. Characterization of the nanocomposites by XRD, FTIR, TGA, SEM, and TEM showed that the polymerization of pyrrole has been successfully achieved on the surface of the SnO₂ nanoparticles. Electrical conductivity measurements showed that the conductivity of nanocomposites increases with increasing contents of SnO₂. SEM, and TEM pictures showed that the nanocomposites have a close packing globular structure with an average grain size in the range of 30–65 nm. TGA showed that with introducing SnO₂ nanoparticles into PPy chains, thermal stability of nanocomposites increases.

Keywords:

• conductive polymers
• nanocomposites
• polymerization
• polypyrrole