Optimizing the Synthesis and Thermal Properties of Conducting Polymer–Montmorillonite Clay Nanocomposites

Yanrong Zhu,Jude O Iroh,Ramakrishnan Rajagopolan,Richard Vaia,Aydin Aykanat

doi:10.3390/en15041291

Yanrong Zhu, Jude O Iroh + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/en15041291

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Abstract

Given the availability of a wide range of properties not possessed by individual materials, nanocomposites based on conducting polymers and inorganic materials have attracted much deserved attention. However, there has been little attempt to optimize the synthesis and thermal properties of polyaniline–clay nanocomposites. In this study, the synthesis and thermal properties of polyaniline (PANi) and polyaniline–clay nanocomposites (PACN) were performed by systematically varying the feed composition. Both PANi and polyaniline–montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites were prepared by using ammonium persulfate (APS) as the oxidant. The chemical structure of the nanocomposites was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of clay in the nanocomposites and the existence of mainly the emiraldine form of PANi. Thermal analysis was performed by using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The morphology and structure of PANi and PACN were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Our results confirm the intercalation and partial exfoliation of clay. This study also showed that increasing the oxidant concentration resulted in decreasing thermal stability and melting temperature of PANi. The reinforcement of PANi with MMT resulted in increased thermal stability and increased melting point of PANi. It was also shown that the addition of only about 0.1 wt% of APS resulted in an optimal thermal stability and melting point for PANi.

Highlights

In recent years, there has been an upsurge in research interests in the synthesis of nanocomposites constituted of inorganic clay and an organic polymer matrix on a na‐ nometer scale
We successfully developed an approach to synthesize polyaniline– clay nanocomposites, polyaniline–clay nanocomposites (PACN), based on PANi and MMT clay, and the structure and ther‐ mal properties of the resulting nanocomposite were controlled by systematically varying the synthesis conditions
Using advanced analytical techniques, such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), trans‐ mission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), we studied the structure of the resulting composites and determined the effect of synthesis conditions on the materials formed

Summary

Introduction

There has been an upsurge in research interests in the synthesis of nanocomposites constituted of inorganic clay and an organic polymer matrix on a na‐ nometer scale. A dramatic enhancement in properties is gained from a moderate clay loading of about 2 vol%. Giannelis and his group reported that the combination of the polymer matrix and clay reinforcement resulted in the for‐ mation of nanocomposite by melt processing [4,5,6]. The breakthrough advancement of nanotechnology has inspired people to combine clay with another special class of ma‐ trix materials known as the intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) to form ICP–clay nanocomposites [17]

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