Diode Behavior of Electrophoretically Deposited Polyaniline on TiO2 Nanoparticulate Thin Film Electrode

An inorganic/organic hetrostructure diode was constructed by the electrophoretic deposition of the p-type polyaniline (PANI) on an n-type titanium oxide (TiO2) nanoparticulate thin film. The bonding and internalization of PANI to TiO2 nanoparticulate thin film were confirmed by the morphological, structural and optical studies of electrophoretically deposited PANI/TiO2 nanoparticulate thin film. The increased size of TiO2 nanoparticles indicated the well penetration of PANI molecules into the pores of mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticulate thin film. The XPS studies of PANI/TiO2 heterostructure exhibited the surface bonding and interaction between PANI molecules and TiO2 nanoparticles. The current voltage (I-V) characterization of PANI/TiO2 heterostructure was carried out in the forward and the reverse bias at the applied voltage ranges from -1 V to +1 V with a scan rate of 2 mV/s. The constructed Pt/PANI/TiO2 heterostructure device established diodic behavior with non-linear nature of I-V curves.