Fabrication and Characterisation of Polyaniline/Laponite based Semiconducting Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Material

Walt V.K. Wheelwright; Sudip Ray; Ralph P. Cooney

doi:10.14429/dsj.64.7185

Walt V.K. Wheelwright School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland
Sudip Ray School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland
Ralph P. Cooney School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.64.7185

Keywords: Laponite, silylation, 3-phenylaminopropyltrimethoxysilane, polyaniline, Organic-inorganic semiconducting hybrid material

Abstract

Novel organic-inorganic semiconducting hybrid material is developed by chemically grafting polyaniline (PANI) onto an inorganic template, Laponite. The surface active silanol groups of the Laponite sheets were silylated with an aniline functionalised 3-phenylaminopropyltrimethoxysilane (PAPTMOS) coupling agent followed by deposition of PANI onto the silylated surface. The method includes the reaction of Laponite with PAPTMOS dissolved in a very small amount of methanol at 110 °C for 44 h in a vacuum oven, interaction of the silylated product with PANI via in situ polymerisation of aniline and one-step isolation process by means of the removal of the non-connected PANI with N-methylpyrrolidinone-diethylamine binary solvent. After isolation and re-doping with methane sulfonic acid the Laponite-PAPTMOS-PANI hybrid becomes electrically conductive. The chemical attachment of PANI with silylated Laponite in the hybrids were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscopy.

Defence Science Journal, Vol. 64, No. 3, May 2014, pp. 193-197, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.64.7185

Author Biographies

Walt V.K. Wheelwright, School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland

Dr Walt V. K. Wheelwright received his PhD from The University of Auckland, New Zealand. Presently, he is working in the MBIE Hybrid Polymers Research Group, School of Chemical Sciences of The University of Auckland, responsible for the technical development of the project. His research interests are focused on the preparation and studies of properties and interfacial interactions in the hybrid polymers systems containing an inorganic or bioorganic substrate connected to a conductive component such as polyaniline.

Sudip Ray, School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland

Dr Sudip Ray obtained his PhD from IIT, Kharagpur, India. He is a Research Scientist in the School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand and is currently involved in projects on MBIE funded Hybrid Polymers Programme. His current research focus includes polymers for biomedical applications, sustainable packaging. He holds about 100 research publications including journal papers, conference papers, monograph, book chapters and patent.

Ralph P. Cooney, School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland

Prof. Ralph P. Cooney working as a Director, MBIE Anti-microbial hybrid polymers. His interest of research focussed primarily on anti-microbial polymers (hybrid polymers), conducting polymer membranes, actuating micro-pumps, colloids, electro-spun fibres and zeolites/molecular sieves. He has published 250 papers.