Layer-by-layer assembly of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) wrapped multiwalled carbon nanotubes with polyaniline nanofibers and its electrochemistry

A simple and versatile method based on noncovalent supramolecular attachment and layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly is proposed to prepare nanostructured hybrid conducting polymer. The negatively charged poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) wrapped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is doped with cationic polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers via LBL assembly, and a well-defined PANI/MWCNTs composite was obtained. The LBL assembly process is characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry and electrochemical methods. It was found that PSS wrapped MWCNTs inside the multilayer film can dope nanostructured PANI effectively and shift its electroactivity to a neutral pH environment. Moreover, the conducting composites show amperometric response for hydrogen peroxide with a linear range of 2.0 × 10−7–1.0 × 10−3 mol L−1.