AC conductivity and dielectric behavior of polyaniline/sodium metavenadate (PANI/NaVO3) composites

The conducting polyaniline/sodium metavenadate (PANI/NaVO3) composites were synthesized by single step in situ polymerization technique by placing finely grinded powder of NaVO3 during the polymerization of aniline. The formation of mixed phases of the polymer together with the conducting emeraldine salt phase was confirmed by spectroscopic techniques like FTIR. SEM images indicated a systematic morphological variation of particles aggregated in the composite matrix as compared to the pristine PANI. AC conductivity and dielectric behavior of these composites were investigated in the frequency range 50 Hz to 5 MHz. It is found that AC conductivity obeyed the power law index and the variation of conductivity with wt% of NaVO3 could be related to conductivity relaxation phenomenon. These composites have shown high dielectric constant, which is related to polarization. It is seen that both dielectric constant and dielectric loss decrease with increase in frequency. Variations in measured parameters of AC response with increasing frequency of these composites are found to follow systematic trends that are similar to those observed with temperature and doping. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V.