Morphology and Thermal Stability of Electrically Conducting Nanocomposites Prepared by Sulfosalicylic Acid Micelles Assisted Polymerization of Aniline in Presence of ZrO₂ Nanoparticles

Abstract

Electrically conductive polyaniline (Pani)/zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) nanocomposites were prepared by in-situ oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of sulfosalicylic acid (SSA), HCl and different amounts of ZrO₂ nanoparticles. Pani/ZrO₂ nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The stability of the nanocomposites in terms of DC electrical conductivity retention was also studied in ambient atmosphere by isothermal ageing and cyclic ageing techniques. Pani/ZrO₂ nanocomposites were observed to be more conducting than Pani but showed poorer stability in terms of DC electrical conductivity retention under ambient environmental conditions.

Keywords:

• DC electrical conductivity retention
• Isothermal and cyclic ageing techniques
• Pani/ZrO₂ nanocomposites

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

One of the authors (Tarique Anwer) is thankful to Mohammad Shahadat (Department of Chemistry, A.M.U., Aligarh) for help and discussions.

Notes

Stock Solution A: 236 g of SSA in 1000 mL of 1 M HCl.

Stock Solution B: 200 g of double distilled aniline in 1000 mL of 1 M HCl.

Stock Solution C: 72.5 g of K₂S₂O₈ in 1000 mL of 1 M HCl.