Comparative study on poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene)/TiO2 nanocomposites synthesized by mechanochemical and chemical solution methods

• PProDOT/TiO2 nanocomposites were prepared by mechanochemical and common methods.
• The TiO2 and preparation methods affected the structure and properties of composites.
• The composites were developed as electrode materials for supercapacitor.
• The specific capacitance was 219 Fg−1 for mechanochemically synthesized composite.

The poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene)/TiO2 nanocomposites (PProDOT/TiO2) were synthesized by using mechanochemical solvent free and common chemical solution method. The structure and physicochemical properties of the PProDOT/TiO2 nanocomposites were compared with that of pure PProDOT. The results of FTIR and UV–vis spectra showed that the PProDOT/TiO2 nanocomposites and pure PProDOT prepared by mechanochemical method displayed higher oxidation degree and conjugation length than the samples prepared by chemical method. The XRD and morphological analysis indicated that the TiO2 had no effect on the crystallinity of PProDOT from both methods, and the TiO2 well embedded in polymer matrix. Moreover, the results of the electrochemical performances showed that the PProDOT/TiO2 nanocomposites and pure PProDOT synthesized by mechanochemical method had higher electrochemical activity than the samples from chemical method. The highest specific capacitance of 219 Fg−1 is obtained in the case of the mechanochemically synthesized PProDOT/TiO2 nanocomposites.

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