Polyaniline Chromium Nitrate Composites: Influence of Chromium Nitrate on Conductivity and Thermal Stability of Polyaniline

Abstract

Thermal stability and electrical conductivity are the key to the technological feasibility and sustainability of conductingpolymers (CPs) and their composites in real-time applications. Notably, the impact of filler loading on above mentionedparameters of CPs needs to be examined and addressed with facile and easily accessible techniques. In the present study,Polyaniline (PANI) /chromium nitrate composites have been prepared via in situ polymerization of aniline through thechemical oxidative polymerization route. After that, the conductivity and thermal stability of PANI have been investigated atdifferent weight percentage loadings of chromium nitrate viz 5, 10, 20, and 40 % in the composite materials.The morphological and structural analysis of the pristine and composite samples were executed with Scanning electronmicroscopy (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Thermalanalysis of proposed composites is carried out using the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) method to evaluate variouskinetic parameters. The TGA thermogram and different calculated parameters revealed that the composites were morethermally stable than pristine PANI and that the composite having 20 wt % of chromium nitrate is thermally the most stable.The DC electrical conductivity data shows that PANI loaded with 20% chromium nitrate has the highest conductivity. Thisincrement in conductivity and thermal stability of the composites opens the path for many applications, such as sensors andelectronics.