Copper alumina reinforced poly(aniline-co-indole) nanocomposites for optoelectronic devices

Copper alumina (Cu-Al2O3) reinforced poly(aniline-co-indole) (PANI-co-PIN) nanocomposites were prepared and characterised by UV-vis spectroscopy, FE-SEM and DSC. The bandgap energy decreased with the addition of Cu-Al2O3 to PANI-co-PIN. The FE-SEM confirms the uniform dispersion of nanoparticles in the copolymer. The DSC showed a shift in glass transition temperatures to higher regions with Cu-Al2O3 concentrations. The frequency-temperature-dependent dielectric parameters and electrical conductivity of nanocomposites were investigated. Activation energy calculated from Arrhenius equation decreases with increasing frequency. The real and imaginary part of electric modulus implies the thermally activated dielectric relaxations. The decreasing radius of semicircles in Nyquist plot with increasing temperatures indicates the existence of thermally activated conduction mechanisms. Different theoretical models were used to predict the DC conductivity mechanism in copolymer nanocomposites.

Automated summary

Copper alumina reinforced poly(aniline-co-indole) nanocomposites were prepared and characterized. The addition of Cu-Al2O3 decreased the bandgap energy and increased the glass transition temperatures. The nanocomposites also showed improved electrical conductivity.