Nanofibers synthesis of ND:PANI composite by liquid/liquid interfacial polymerization and study on the effect of NDs on growth mechanism of nanofibers

•The ND:PANI composites were synthesized by interfacial polymerization and characterize with various techniques.•The synthesized structures are fibrous in nature and diameter decreases with addition of nanodiamonds.•The addition of nanodiamonds has great impact on the synthesis mechanism of nanofibers.•The nanodiamonds increases the conducting region of polyaniline and decreases secondary growth.•The addition of nanodiamonds increases the yield of nanofibers.

Polyaniline (PANI) has exclusive doping/dedoping chemistry and it can be produced in various oxidation states with different electrical and structural properties. The nanocomposite of PANI with nanodiamonds shows unique properties due to molecular level interaction between nanodiamond (ND) and PANI structures. We synthesized ND:PANI composite first time by interfacial polymerization under controlled conditions. The composites were characterized with the help of UV–vis, FTIR, Raman spectroscopies and field effect scanning electron microscope. Herein, we are reporting synthesis of fibrous and conducting composites. In addition, varying concentrations of NDs improves primary growth, lowers the diameter of fibers and cause augmentation in the polymerization. The detailed mechanism of PANI and ND:PANI synthesis is validated with the time dependent study of the aqueous phase. The whole mechanism is alienated into six zones on the basis of reaction progression.

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