8-Hydroxyquinoline aluminum-polypyrrole and 8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum-polyaniline composites: A comparative study on the preparation and property

Polypyrrole (PPy) and polyaniline (PANI)-organometallic complexes were obtained by chemical oxidation of pyrrole and aniline with 8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum (Alq(3)) using ammonium persulfate as an oxidant. The mechanism of Alq(3)-PPy and Alq(3)-PANI composites based on pi-pi interaction and H-bonding interaction was proposed and proved by the changes in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) diffraction peaks. The electric conductivity property of conducting composites was measured by means of the four-probe method. FTIR and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that composites with different chemical structures, presented different crystallinity, which resulted in a different electric conductivities. The morphology of composites was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used for elemental analysis of composites. The optimal reaction condition of the Alq(3)-PPy and Alq(3)-PANI composites by in an situ polymerization method was established. It was the first time that the effect of Alq3-PPy and Alq(3)-PANI composites polymerization conditions on the morphology, structure and properties are comparative studied.