Optical and Structural Properties of Prepared Polyaniline – Graphene (PANI/GN) Nanocomposite

Polyaniline (PANI) polymer was successfully prepared by the chemical oxidation method at 0 oC. Polyaniline-nano grapheme (GN) powder nanocomposites were prepared by the addition of GN with different weight ratios (0.1, 1, 5, and 10 g wt. %) during the polymerization of PANI. It was found that the polymerization reaction of poly-aniline was exothermic. The effect of adding nano-graphene powder during polymerization process on the time and temperature of the reaction was studied. The resulting polymer was diagnosed using several methods, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and UV-VIS spectrophotometry. The results of FTIR demonstrated a shift to higher wave numbers in the peaks of nanocomposites, due to PANI peaks, in addition to the matching between the groups of active sites of the polymer with its chemical composition. The results of the optical properties showed a decrease in the energy gap of the nanocomposite compared with that of the pure PANI sample. The morphology of the samples was studied using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The increase in the concentration of GN led to a change in the surface morphology of the composites. The results predict that the PANI/GN nano-composites can be used in many applications, such as those of sensors.

Role of polyaniline morphology in Pd particles dispersion. Hydrogenation of alkynes in the presence of Pd-polyaniline catalysts

Two polyaniline (PANI) samples of various molecular masses were used for the preparation of palladium catalysts (with 2 mass % of Pd). The physicochemical features of starting polyanilines were found to substantially affect the size and extent of palladium nanoparticles aggregation. Strongly aggregated large palladium particles appeared in the PANI sample of more compact morphology (PANI-H), higher crystallinity and lower specific surface area. Pd nanoparticles of a definitively smaller size were formed in the more amorphous PANI sample of looser morphology (PANI-L) and the extent of particles aggregation was markedly lower. The catalytic properties of Pd/PANI samples were studied in a liquid phase hydrogenation of unsaturated triple bond (C≡C) in alkynes reactants, phenylacetylene, and cyclohexylacetylene. The 2 mass % Pd/PANI-L catalyst prepared using polymer of less compact texture exhibited much higher activity in both reactions. In the presence of the 2 mass % Pd/PANI-L catalyst, alkene products were formed with a high selectivity (approximately 90 %) attained at the almost complete conversion of alkynes. This highly selective hydrogenation of the C≡C to the C=C bond was related to the presence of an electroactive polymer, PANI, in close proximity with Pd active sites. Polyaniline could have a role in a steric effect as well as in a modification of adsorptive properties of Pd centres.