Polyaniline composites: improving the electrochemical properties by template synthesis

Abstract

We have been exploring the idea of using the heterogeneous porosity of inorganic (sol-gel silica) and organic (poly(vinylidene fluoride)) films as a template for the preparation of polyaniline composites. The large size pore distribution (~2.5–800 nm) in both template matrices results in a part of the polyaniline growing more ordered than in films synthesized without spatial restriction. Small-angle X-ray scattering and scanning electron microscopy experiments were done to determine the extreme values of the pore diameters. Using other experimental techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance and chronopotentiometry, we concluded that the electrochemical properties of polyaniline, such as oxidation and reduction charges, diffusion coefficient and charge-discharge capacity, are improved in these composites.