Cationic surfactant directed polyaniline/CNT nanocables: synthesis, characterization, and enhanced electrical properties Original Research Article

We described here a new approach to the synthesis of size-controllable polyaniline/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocables by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization directed by the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Carbon nanotubes were first dispersed in a high concentration (12-fold critical micelle concentration) CTAB solution, and thus the CTAB is adsorbed and arranged regularly at the CNT surfaces. Upon addition of the aniline monomer, some of the aniline hydrochloride is adsorbed at the surface of CNTs and wedged into the arranged CTAB molecules. When ammonium persulfate (APS) was added, aniline was polymerized in situ at the surfaces of the CNTs (core layer), ultimately forming the outer shell of the nanocables. Such polyaniline/CNT nanocables show enhanced electrical properties.