Preparation and characterization of polyaniline/manganese dioxide composites via oxidative polymerization: Effect of acids

Polyaniline/manganese dioxide (PANI/MnO2) composites have been chemically prepared by oxidative polymerization of aniline in acidic medium containing MnO2 as an oxidant. The acids used were; H2SO4, HNO3, HCl, and H3PO4 The prepared composites were characterized by SEM, elemental analysis, FT-IR, XRD, TGA, and magnetic susceptibility. XRD measurements of the composites revealed that the crystal structure of incorporated MnO2 undergone a distortion and converted into amorphous. Thus, the XRD pattern of PANI was predominate. The degree of crystallinity of the prepared composites is depended on the type of compensated acid anions and has the order; HSO4->H2PO4->Cl->NO3-. This order is agrees with the order of crystallographic radii and the shape of the corresponding acid anions. From the value of point zero charge of MnO2 (pzc at pH ≈7.5) and FT-IR spectra, it was concluded that adsorbed acids anions on the oxide surface works as the charge compensator for positively charge PANI in the formation of PANI/MnO2. The content of PANI in the composite was depended on the type of acid used. Thermogravimetric study exhibited that the composite with low content of PANI has a higher thermal stability. Magnetic susceptibility measurements revealed that the composites has a diamagnetic properties. A schematic composition of the composites has been suggested.