Preparation and Characterization of Novel Hybrid Materials Formed from (Ti,Sn)O₂ Nanoparticles and Polyaniline

Abstract

This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of new organic/inorganic hybrid materials formed from the mixed oxide (Ti,Sn)O2 nanoparticles and polyaniline (PANI). The preparation method is based on a sol−gel technique using titanium tetra-isopropoxide and tin tetrachloride as oxide precursors, and two synthetic routes to the hybrids formation were employed, based on the addition of aniline after or before the sol formation. Different amounts of aniline were used to verify this effect on the characteristics of the formed materials. Samples were characterized by thermal analysis, X-ray diffractometry, Raman, UV−vis, and FT-IR spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and conductivity measurements. Results show that the different experimental routes are successful in producing hybrids formed by oxide nanoparticles or nanotubes and polyaniline in its conducting form, the emeraldine salt. There is little difference between the samples obtained by the two synthetic routes employed, except by the amount of polymer in the final material. The hybrids that contain approximately 10% weight of polyaniline are formed as a core/shell mixed oxide/polyaniline material.