Conductive composites of polyaniline and polypyrrole with MoO3

Abstract

Composites of polyaniline and polypyrrole with MoO3 were prepared via polymerization of the respective monomer by ammonium vanadate (AV)/H2SO4 oxidant system in presence of an aqueous suspension of MoO3. Formation of PANI and PPY and their subsequent incorporation in the PANI–MoO3 and PPY–MoO3 composite systems was endorsed by FTIR spectral analyses. Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) revealed the overall thermal stability upto 1000 °C as follows: MoO3> PANI–MoO3> PANI and MoO3> PPY–MoO3> PPY. Differential thermal analyses (DTA) of PANI–MoO3 and PPY–MoO3 composites indicated occurrence of oxidative degradation characteristic of the corresponding homopolymers. XRD scans of PANI–MoO3 and PPY–MoO3 composites suggested that crystalline structure of MoO3 remained undisturbed upon incorporation of PANI or PPY moieties in the MoO3 matrix. Dc conductivity values of PANI–MoO3 and PPY–MoO3 composites were in the order of 10−2 and 10−3 S/cm, respectively.