Synthetic approaches, characterization and applications of conducting polythiophene- MWCNT nanocomposites

Abstract

Polythiophene-carbon nanotube nanocomposites are attractive for their peculiar properties and possibility to implement in advanced applications. In the present work, effective synthetic approaches of polythiophene-carbon nanotube nanocomposites were carried out and demonstrated them as to attain striking and improved properties. The main objectives of our work are as follows :- (1) surfactant assisted preparation and characterization of polythiophene-carbon nanotube nanocomposites, (2) preparation of functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube and its characterization, (3) preparation and characterization of nanocomposites of polythiophene with functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube and their characterization, (4) preparation and characterization of nanocomposite of functionalized polythiophene with functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube and (5) applications of polythiophene-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites . Study on effect of double tail anionic surfactant AOT on the effective formation of polythiophene-carbon nanotube nanocomposites were carried out. Unsubstituted polythiophene carbon nanotube nanocomposites preparation was carried out with in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization of thiophene monomer using ferric chloride as oxidant in presence of surfactant AOT in chloroform medium. Functionalization of carbon nanotubes were carried out with simple acid treatment and further preparation of polythiophene-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites were conducted with in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization. General characterizations of functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube and polythiophene-multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites were carried out with FT-IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Elemental analysis, WXRD, EDX mapping, pH studies, and XPS analysis. Morphological characterizations were conducted with SEM and TEM analysis. Further studies such as electrical conductivity was measured using four probe conductivity meter and thermal stability analysis done with TGA. Silver nanoparticles entangled polythiophene functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube ternary nanocomposites were subjected to various applications such as catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol with studies on its mechanism, antibacterial applications on E. coli bacteria and catalytic decolorization of water soluble and water insoluble azo compounds including the azobenzene. Nanocomposites of functionalized conducting polymer poly(3-thiophene ethanol) with functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube were synthesized by simple and easily scalable physical mixing approach. Electrochemical characterization with CV and GCD analyses of nanocomposites promised the composites as efficient supercapacitor electrode materials.