Structural and optical properties of polyaniline/nickel ferrite nanocomposites

Abstract

Polyaniline/ferrite nanocomposites have attracted increasing attention because they offer the possibility of a new generation of nanostructure materials with advanced applications like electromagnetic interference shielding, rechargeable batteries, corrosion devices due to their flexibility, inexpensive and easy of synthesis. Polyaniline (PANI) containing MFe2O4 were prepared by in-situ polymerization of aniline in aqueous solution (Where M-represent divalent metal cation, M2+ = Ni2+). PANI reduces the agglomeration of nanosized nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) particles which is good for the stabilization of nanoparticles. The investigation of structural, morphological and optical properties was carried out for the synthesized PANI/NiFe2O4 nanocomposites using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Ultraviolet visible spectrophotometer (UV-Vis). XRD revealed that the structure of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles is spinel with space group Fd3m and crystallite size 14 nm. Lattice parameter was found to increases with NiFe2O4 concentration in PANI and this may be due to the larger ionic radius of the Ni2+ ion. XRD pattern of PANI/NiFe2O4 nanocomposites at different ferrite molar percent are just the superposition of those of polyaniline and ferrite nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy of PANI/NiFe2O4 nanocomposites show increase in particle size over pure a NiFe2O4 nanoparticles which is relevant with XRD results. UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy of PANI/NiFe2O4 nanocomposites shows two absorption bands in range of 300-350 nm and 600-650 nm which reflects interaction of ferrite nanoparticles with PANI. Copyright © 2017 VBRI Press.