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

Synthesis, characterisation, and electrical properties of novel nanostructured conducting poly(aniline-co-m-chloroaniline) with incorporated silver particles

Janakiraman Vivekanandan, Arunachalam Mahudeswaran, Xiao-Yan Tang, Sangamesh G. Kumbar, and Pachanoor Subbaian Vijayanand

Department of Physical Sciences, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam, 638 401, Erode District, Tamil Nadu, India

E-mail: vijayanandps@bitsathy.ac.in

Abstract: Novel copolymers of poly(aniline-co-m-chloroaniline)-doped dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid (DBSA) with embedded silver nanoparticles were synthesised using the in situ chemical oxidative method. The structural properties of the copolymers were characterised using the UV-VIS and FTIR spectroscopic methods. The crystalline nature of the copolymer was demonstrated by way of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the presence of particle agglomerates measuring 50 nm to 100 nm on the surface of the nanocomposites. The electrical conductivity of the copolymer was dependent on the monomer composition and was found to be in the range of 10⁻² S cm⁻¹ to 10⁻⁶ S cm⁻¹ with an increasing chloroaniline content and exhibiting improved solubility.

Keywords: aniline – m-chloroaniline – copolymers – silver nanoparticle – morphology – conductivity

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1515/chempap-2015-0103

Chemical Papers 69 (7) 964–972 (2015)