Facile synthesis of polyaniline/Al2O3 micro-fibers through in situ polymerization

Since aluminum oxide (Al2O3) is easy to dissolve in acid, it is still a big challenge to prepare conductive PANI/Al2O3 fibers. In this paper, a very simple way to synthesize long PANI/Al2O3 micro-fibers using calcined-Al2O3 fibers as substrate by in situ polymerization method was reported. In contrast, PANI/Al2O3 composite fibers were synthesized using uncalcined-Al2O3 fibers as substrate. The SEM results revealed that the PANI composites from calcined-Al2O3 could keep the long fibrous form well, while the composites from uncalcined-Al2O3 fibers become short fibers due to the etching of acid. This suggested that the calcined-Al2O3 fibers had good corrosion resistance to the strong acid. FTIR results indicated the molecular structure of PANI was in conductive emeraldine state. So, PANI could be polymerized on the surface of Al2O3 fiber in acidic condition to form conductive composite PANI/Al2O3 fibers. The electrical conductivity of the composite fibers was in the order of 10(-2) S/cm, and the electrical conductivity of the composite fibers increased with the increasing of aniline concentration. These conductive composite fibers could greatly reduce the electrostatic hazard caused by Al2O3 fibers. In that mean, this paper provided a feasible method for the synthesis of other conductive PANI/oxide (the oxide is soluble in strong acid like Al2O3) composite fibers.

Automated summary

This paper reports a simple method to synthesize long PANI/Al2O3 micro-fibers using calcined-Al2O3 fibers as substrate by in situ polymerization method. In contrast, PANI/Al2O3 composite fibers were synthesized using uncalcined-Al2O3 fibers as substrate. The calcined-Al2O3 fibers had good corrosion resistance to the strong acid and could keep the long fibrous form well, while the composites from uncalcined-Al2O3 fibers become short fibers due to acid etching.