ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Structural, optical, electrical, and thermal properties of PANI/[Co(NH₃)₂(C₂H₈N₂)₂]Cl₃ nanocomposite

Waseem Naqash and Kowsar Majid

Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Srinagar, Srinagar, India

E-mail: kowsarmajid@rediffmail.com

Abstract: The study reports successful synthesis of [Co(NH₃)₂(C₂H₈N₂)₂]Cl₃ photoadduct and its subsequent use as a filler in polyaniline (PANI) matrix to form PANI/photoadduct nanocomposite by chemical oxidative polymerisation method. The photo-induced exchange of ligands between the hexamine metal complex and ethylenediamine solution on photo irradiation resulted in the formation of photoadduct. FTIR and UV–Vis analysis show a significant interaction developed between the photoadduct and the PANI chains and hence successful nanocomposite formation. Optical band gap determination from Tauc plot shows higher value of band gap in case of PANI/photoadduct nanocomposite than that of PANI. The structural characteristics of the PANI/photoadduct nanocomposite as observed from XRD show crystalline nature of the nanocomposite. SEM analysis shows photoadduct particles lying embedded in the polymer matrix. The porous sponge like surface morphology of the nanocomposite shows potential of material to act as a catalyst. Electrical measurement of the nanocomposite revealed its less conducting nature than PANI which is attributed to charge carrier scattering by embedded photoadduct particles. This is in consistent with the higher value of band gap energy obtained in case of PANI/photoadduct nanocomposite. The thermal analysis shows improvement in the thermal stability of PANI nanocomposite with incorporated filler photoadduct, which holds the polymer chains tightly bound to each other and hence confers some extra stability to the polymer against thermal degradation.

Keywords: Photoadduct; PANI/photoadduct nanocomposite; Optical band gap; Thermal stability

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-016-0093-4

Chemical Papers 71 (2) 525–533 (2017)