Preparation of polyaniline metallic oxide hybrid composites for photocatalytic and dielectric applications

Abstract

The discovery of conducting polymers introduced an active area of newlineresearch to the scientific world due to their potential applications. newlineAmong the different types of conducting polymers polyaniline (PANI) is newlineone of the most studied compounds because of its simple and cost newlineeffective preparation, variable oxidation states and tunable conductivity newlineby chemical means. The properties and functions of PANI can be newlineimproved by making composites consisting of PANI and one or more newlinecomponents like metals, metal oxides, biological materials, natural newlineproducts etc. The PANI/metal oxide nanocomposites have been studied newlineextensively to investigate their unique properties and importance in newlineoptical and electronic applications. newlineTitanium dioxide (TiO2) has received considerable attention over newlinethe past few decades on accont of its low cost, non toxicity, stability and newlineapplications in various fields such as photocatalysis, electronics and newlinephotovoltaic devices. Structurally TiO2 exists in different crystallographic newlineforms having different physical properties and hence a vast variety of newlineapplications, of which anatase and rutile are the most commonly newlineinvestigated structures. Rutile TiO2 is a perfect reflector of UV light and newlineis therefore used as a reflective pigment in paints while anatase TiO2 is a newlinewell known photocatalyst under UV light. It is therefore essential to newlinedevelop methods to control its size, morphology and the crystalline newlinestructure. newlineThe release of organic dyes from textile industries constitutes one newlineof the major groups of organic pollutants responsible for water pollution. newlineThese pollutants generate severe ecological problems; therefore many newlineconventional methods such as adsorption on activated charcoal, newlinesedimentation, filtration etchave been employed for the removal of newlinethese pollutants from water. These techniques are non destructive in newlinenature since they transfer the non biodegradable matter from one place to newlineanother, which needs further treatment.