Organic/inorganic hybrid materials formed from TiO2 nanoparticles and polyaniline

This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of organic/inorganic hybrid materials formed from TiO2 nanoparticles and polyaniline (PANI). The preparation method is based on a sol-gel technique using titanium tetra-isopropoxide as oxide precursor, and two synthetic routes to the hybrids formation were employed, based on the addition of aniline after or before the sol formation. Different amounts of aniline were used to verify this effect on the characteristics of the formed materials. Samples were characterized by electronic spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, X-ray diffractometry and cyclic voltammetry. Results show that the different experimental routes are successful to produce hybrids formed by oxides nanoparticles and polyaniline in its conducting form, the emeraldine salt. There are no strong differences between the samples obtained by the two synthetic routes employed, except by the amount of polymer in the final material.