456-463This
paper reports the structural, electrical and thermal properties of the
polyaniline doped with ZnO composites. Conducting polymer composites of
polyaniline/zinc oxide (PANI/ZnO) have been synthesized by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">in-situ polymerization of aniline using various compositions (10,
20, 30, 40, 50 wt %) of ZnO in PANI using ammonium persulphate as an oxidant. The amorphous nature of the composites
has been ascertained by the X-ray diffraction. Fourier Transform Infrared
(FTIR) spectroscopy confirms the interaction between PANI and dopant. Thermal
stability of polymer composites has been analyzed by TGA and corresponding
thermal kinetic parameters were calculated using Horowitz-Metzger method.
Thermal analysis shows higher thermal stability of PANI/ZnO composites than
pure PANI. The surface morphology of these composites was analyzed with Scanning
Electron Microscopy (SEM), which also confirms the presence of ZnO in the
composites. The dc conductivity
behaviour of these composites has also been investigated as a function of
temperature and concentration in the temperature range 313-393 K and the
results were compared with pure PANI. The dc
electrical conductivity of PANI/ZnO composites decreased as the ZnO content
increased in PANI but increased with the increase in temperature.</span