Fabrication and characterization of silver/polyaniline composite nanowires in porous anodic alumina

Silver/polyaniline (Ag/PANI) nanowires are prepared by electropolymerization of aniline in porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) from an acidic electrolyte containing silver metal ions and aniline. Ag nanowires, PANI nanowires, and PANI thin films are made for comparative purposes. The nanowires are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction. The HRTEM images illustrate that the composite nanowires consist of core Ag nanowires sheathed by polymer; i.e., they are nanocables. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy are done to investigate the chemical structure of the nanocables and any interaction between Ag and PANI. The Raman spectra indicate that the polymer is in the conducting emeraldine salt form and FTIR shows that there is some interaction between Ag and the acid protonated NH groups of polyaniline.