Polyanilme-montmorilltonite (PANl-MMT) nanocomposites: Mechanochemical synthesis,structure, thermostability and electrical properties

Polyaniline (PANI)-montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites were prepared by direct intercalation of aniline molecules into MMT galleries, followed by in situ mechanochemical polymerization under solvent free conditions. X-rays diffraction, Fourier Transform Infra Red analyses and UV-vis spectroscopy confirmed the successful synthesis of polyaniline chains between the MMT nano-interlayers. On increasing the amount of MMT basal spacing decreased gradually, suggesting less intercalation with decreasing amount of aniline. Scanning electron micrographs demonstrated strong differences between the morphologies of PANI-MMT nanocomposites and those of pure MMT and PANI. DC conductivity was measured in the temperature range from 145 K to 303 K using four probe methods. Temperature dependent DC conductivity of PANI and all the PANI-MMT composites followed 3 dimensional variable range hopping (3D VRH) model. Frequency dependent AC conductivity (σ_AC), dielectric constant (ɛ′) and loss factor (ɛ″) have been measured in the frequency range 10²–10⁶. All these measured quantities; σ_AC, ɛ′ and ɛ″ decreased with the increase in MMT content in the composites at all frequencies. The frequency dependence of σ_AC displayed a low frequency region below 10⁴ Hz with almost constant conductivity, while above this frequency a rapid rise in σ_AC was observed with a power law of frequency dependence with an exponent equal to 0.7. Both real and imaginary parts of the permittivity exhibited a low frequency dispersion which has been attributed to hopping of polarons and bipolarons in PANI and its composites. The thermal stability was checked by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and was found to be enhanced due to addition of MMT in the PANI.