Polyaniline/Fe3O4 nanocomposites synthesized under the direction of cationic surfactant

Polyaniline(PANi)/Fe3O4 nanocomposites have been prepared via in situ chemical oxidative polymerization directed with cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The studies show that PANi can coat Fe3O4 nanoparticles. CTAB can produce insoluble substance with initiator of polyreaction, and plays a very important role for the coating of Fe3O4 nanoparticles by PANi. Many Fe3O4 nanoparticles are bald without being coated by PANi when CTAB is replaced by anionic surfactant, so anionic surfactant can not play the role of CTAB.