Preparation of Conducting Polyaniline/TiO2 Composite Nanorods by the Radiolysis Polymerization Method

Conducting polyaniline-titanium dioxide composite nanorods were synthesized by gamma radiation-induced oxidative polymerization method in the presence of TiO₂ nanoparticles and an oxidant. The structural, morphological, conducting and optical properties of the nanorods were studied using SEM, TEM, UV-vis absorption, X-ray photoelectron spectra, Fourier transform infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction. The formation of nanorods can be explained by the anisotropic growth rate. The formation of PAni-TiO₂ composites were the result of free aniline cation-radicals and adsorbed aniline cation-radicals on the surface of TiO₂ nanoparticles grow together with the aid of high energy gamma irradiation. Electrical properties were checked by standard four-point probes method and found 0.28 S/cm for bulk PAni and 0.15 S/cm for PAni-TiO₂ composite nanorods. The PAni-TiO₂ composite nanorods showed improved thermogravimetric stability compared to PAni homopolymers. Finally, the composite nanorods synthesized by the radiolysis polymerization method might be used potentially in industrial basis like charge storage and materials of solar cells for its excellent photovoltaic and absorption properties.