Synthesis and Characterisation of Polyaniline/Montmorillonite Nanocomposites

A series of polyaniline / montmorillonite clay (PANI-MMT) composites has been synthesised by solution polymerisation in the presence of hydrochloric acid and a substoichiometric amount of ammonium persulfate (APS). For a preferred molar ratio of monomer to oxidant of 2:1, the aniline was polymerised and largely incorporated into the MMT. The PANI-MMT composites were characterised and compared by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, wide-angle powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect of loading with the conducting polymer on the nanocomposites' DC electrical conductivity was studied, and the maximum conductivity (pressed powder compact) was found to be 4.73 x 10(-1) S.cm(-1), comparable with that of pure polyaniline in the same form. The conductivity followed quite well the temperature-dependence relationship square(T) = square(0),exp[-T-0/T)(1/2)], characteristic of one-dimensional variable-range hopping (1-D) VRH).