Polyaniline Reverse Micelles - Inorganic Composite Nanoparticles

Nanomaterials have been the focus of chemists and physicists due to their unusual application potentials in electronics, optics, mechanics, biology, medicine, catalysis, etc., among which polymer/inorganic nano-compsites are particularly challenging. The flexibilities and improved processability of polymers combined with inorganic components have particularly attractive modulus, transparency, surface hardness and heat resistance. Therefore, polymer/inorganic nanocomposite materials have been the focus of recent studies.In this article, we aim to highlight the essential details of the method to synthesize PANI/inorganic nanocomposites. Anionic surfactant [sodium bis (2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)], nonionic surfactant (Triton-X100 or OP), and cationic surfactant [cetyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB)] were used to form microreactors of the PANI/ inorganic nanocomposites. Triangle and sea urchin shaped polyaniline/TiO2 nanocomposites in AOT, OP, and CTAB system were observed respectively, and we proposed a hypothesis for the mechanism of nanoparticles' formation in reverse micelle.Synthesis conditions such as stirring and experimental procedure were changed when PANI/BaSO4 was synthesized in AOT system. Then we draw a conclusion that we should stir the reactant and take the one step procedure to get monodisperse and spheroidal nanoparticles. It was also found that reverse micelle provide suitable spaces for the synthesis of nanocomposites with unique structure and morphologies.These polyaniline-inorganic nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), infrared spectra (IR), Ultra Violet-visible spectra (UV-vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and electrical conductivities were measured by four-probe method.