Synthesis , characterization and electrical properties of conductive polyaniline/ functionalized MWCNT nanocomposites

Abstract

by in situ polymerization of aniline monomer, conducting polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposites containing various concentrations of carboxylic acid functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNT) were synthesized. The morphological and electrical properties of pure PANI and PANI /MWCNT nanocomposites were examined by using Fourier transform- infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) respectively. FTIR spectra shows that the carboxylic acid groups formed at the both ends of the sidewalls of the MWCNTs. The aniline monomers were polymerized on the surface of MWCNTs, depending on the -* electron interaction between aniline monomers and MWCNTs and hydrogen bonding into interaction between the amino groups of aniline monomers and carboxylic acid group of f-MWCNT. The AC, DC, electrical conductivities of pure PANI and PANI/MWCNT nanocomposite have been measured in frequency range (10Hz-100KHz) and in the temperature range from (30 to 160 C°). the results shows the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposite is higher than pure PANI. AC conductivity at low frequencies is independent of frequencies and increased by increasing the MWCNTs concentration.