Polymerization of aniline in layered HMMoO6·H2O (M=Nb, Ta)

Layered Bronsted acids, HMMoO6·H2O (M=Nb, Ta) possessing a rutile-related structure, readily intercalates aniline giving (C6H5NH3)xH1−xMMoO6·H2O (x~0.35). Oxidation of the latter in air at 130°C polymerizes the interlayer aniline to give (PANI)xH1−xMMoO6 nanocomposites (PANI=polyaniline). Characterization of the composites by various physical methods reveals that the polymerization is near-quantitative, occurring within the galleries of the inorganic host. EPR spectroscopy shows a single resonance at g=2.003 which is characteristic of PANI, indicating that the inorganic host does not participate in the oxidative polymerization of aniline.