Preparation of Conductive Polyaniline/Functionalized Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites via Graft Polymerization

Functionalized titanium dioxide nanoparticle (TiO2) with highly reactive isocyanate groups at its surface, which serve as active sites for the graft polymerization of aniline, was prepared via the reaction between toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) and hydroxyl at TiO2 surface. Conductive polyaniline (PANI) layer was chemically grafted at the surface of the functionalized TiO2 nanoparticle (f-TiO2) surface, resulting in PANI/f-TiO2 nanocomposites. The chemical grafting of PANI was confirmed using FTIR and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The morphology of the PANI/TiO2 nanocomposites was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The amount of grafted PANI is 21 wt%, which was calculated from the results of TGA.