Fabrication and characterisation of conducting composite films based on conducting polymers and functionalised carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Electropolymerisation and characterisation of polyaniline film doped with functionalised single‐wall carbon nanotubes and different dopants were studied. These nanoporous composite films were grown electrochemically from aqueous solutions such that constituents were deposited simultaneously onto substrate electrode. The synthetic, morphological and electrical properties of obtained nanocomposite films were compared. SEM revealed that the composite films consisted of nanoporous networks of single‐wall carbon nanotubes coated with polymeric film. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy demonstrated that these composite films had similar electrochemical response rates to pure polymeric films but a lower resistance and much improved mechanical integrity. The negatively charged functionalised carbon nanotubes served as anionic dopant during the electropolymerisation to synthesize polymer/functionalised carbon nanotube composite films. The specific electrochemical capacitance of the composite films is a significantly greater value than that for pure polymer films prepared similarly. Using these composite films, the modified electrodes with improved properties were obtained. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.