Solid phase mechanochemical synthesis of polyaniline-montmorillonite nanocomposite using grinded montmorillonite as oxidant

Polyaniline-montmorillonite nanocomposite was prepared through mechanochemical processing using grinded montmorillonite (MMT) as oxidant. The method is based on mechanochemical reaction between grinded MMT and anilinium chloride (AnCl) powder wherein grinded MMT is used both as initiator of polymerization and as reinforcement for the nanocomposite material. The proportion of anilinium to MMT has been varied. The analysis of UV visible, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD and SEM techniques proved the polymerization of anilinium cations to the emeraldine form of polyaniline. Both Fe3+ cations localized at MMT octahedral layers and atmospheric oxygen act as oxidant for anilinium cations polymerization. This method allows the formation of polyaniline (PANI) with branched fibrous morphology. The AC conductivity and dielectric properties of the corresponding nanocomposite were measured using impedance analyzer. Electrical and dielectric properties have been studied using spectroscopy impedance. The ac conduction shows a regime of constant dc conductivity at low frequencies and a crossover to a frequency-dependent regime of the type AωS at high frequencies. The Dc conductivity is in the range of 1.66 10−3 S/cm.