Optical, structural, and morphological properties of PANI/CdSe(TPs) nanocomposite thin films

Polyaniline (PANI) thin films and cadmium selenide tetrapods (CdSe TPs) have been prepared by low-cost chemical bath deposition and solvothermal route, respectively. Hybrid PANI/CdSe(TPs) nanocomposite layers were obtained by dipping the PANI layers into the solution of CdSe(TPs) for various duration. The optical, structural, morphological and compositional properties of pristine PANI and nanocomposite layers are studied. The dipping time of PANI layer into CdSe(TPs) solution significantly affect onto the above properties. The absorption and PL intensities for PANI/CdSe(TPs) layers in visible to NIR region increases upon increasing the dipping time. CdSe TPs revealed hexagonal crystal structure by X-ray diffraction analysis. The inter-planer distance was measured about 0.352 nm corresponds to (002) plane of hexagonal CdSe with HRTEM. Growth of void free, granular, and densely packed PANI/CdSe(TPs) layers was confirmed from SEM images. Stoichiometric atomic percentage contents of Cd and Se were obtained by EDAX analyses in PANI/CdSe(TPs) thin film. FTIR results indicate the interaction between CdSe and the acid protonated N-H groups of PANI. The LO1 peak of CdSe and increased relative intensity of C-N+ band of PANI observed in the Raman spectra demonstrates the formation of PANI/CdSe nanocomposites. Thermogravimetric result reveals enhanced thermal stability of PANI/CdSe(TPs) nanocomposite compared to pristine PANI.