Preparation, structural, and electrical studies of polyaniline/ZnFe₂O₄ nanocomposites

Abstract

Abstract Polyaniline/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposites were synthesized by a simple and inexpensive one‐step in situ polymerization method in the presence of ZnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles. The structural, morphological, and electrical properties of the samples were characterized by wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). WAXD and SEM revealed the formation of polyaniline/ZnFe 2 O 4 nanocomposites. Infrared spectroscopy indicated that there was some interaction between the ZnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles and polyaniline. The dc electrical conductivity measurements were carried in the temperature range of 80 to 300 K. With increase in the doping concentration of ZnFe 2 O 4 , the conductivity of the nanocomposites found to be decreasing from 5.15 to 0.92 Scm −1 and the temperature dependent resistivity follows ln ρ( T ) ∼ T −1/2 behavior. The nanocomposites (80 wt % of ZnFe 2 O 4 ) show a more negative magnetoresistance compared with that of pure polyaniline (PANI). These results suggest that the interaction between the polymer matrix PANI and zinc nanoparticles take place in these nanocomposites. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011