Preparation of Magnetic and Conductive Graphite Nanoflakes/Fe₃O₄ Nanoparticles/Polypyrrole Nanocomposites

Abstract

The work presented describes the preparation and characterization of nanocomposites magnetic and conductive graphitic nanoflakes (GNFs) composed by polypyrrole (PPy) based on Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs). This nanocomposite has a multicore shell structure and is synthesized by three-step method. Hydroxyl groups were initially generated on the surface of GNFs. In second step, Fe₃O₄ NPs were coated on the surface of hydroxylated GNFs to form nanocomposite. The product was then surrounded by PPy by an oxidation polymerization method. The magnetic and conducting properties of the resulting nanocomposites were measured by using vibrating sample magnetometer and standard four-point-probe method, respectively. The obtained structural properties of nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform Infrared spectra, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy.

Keywords:

• graphite nanoflake
• core-shell structure
• nanocomposites
• magnetic and conducting properties