Polyaniline: Doping and Functionalization with Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Photovoltaic and Photocatalytic Application

Polyaniline (PANI) was chemically doped and functionalized with single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Various characterization methods were employed to study the structure and optical properties of PANI/SWCNTs nanocomposite, such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical absorption, and stationary photoluminescence. Additionally, a theoretical study using density functional theory calculations was also carried out. It has been demonstrated that the doping process may reduce the band gap without affecting the molecular structure, leading to a better compatibility with the solar spectrum. Moreover, the functionalization process with SWCNTs was able to significantly improve the properties of the resulting nanocomposite. The final interpenetrating network of PANI/SWCNTs exhibited an optical gap of nearly 2.28 eV, from which localized states induced by the charge transfer were created at nearly 1.70 eV. In addition, the resulting donor-acceptor network leads to a separation of electron holes pairs rather than their recombination, which can be used as an active layer in photovoltaic applications and a photocatalyst for advanced oxidation processes.

Automated summary

The structure and optical properties of PANI/SWCNTs nanocomposite were studied using various characterization methods and theoretical calculations. The doping and functionalization processes were found to improve the properties of the resulting nanocomposite significantly. The resulting interpenetrating network exhibited an optical gap of nearly 2.28 eV and showed potential for applications in photovoltaics and advanced oxidation processes.