Preparation and electromagnetic properties of chitosan-decorated ferrite-filled multi-walled carbon nanotubes/polythiophene composites

The chitosan-decorated ferrite-filled multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/polythiophene composites were synthesized through in situ chemical polymerization of thiophene in the presence of the chitosan-decorated ferrite-filled MWCNTs. The structure of the samples was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction. The shape and size were observed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The properties of the samples were tested with the vibrating sample magnetometer and the four-probe conductivity tester. The results showed that chitosan has been decorated onto the surface of MWCNTs. And the MWCNTs have been filled with a large number of ferrite crystals. And the chitosan-decorated ferrite-filled MWCNTs have also been coated with polythiophene. The magnetic saturation value of the chitosan-decorated ferrite-filled MWCNTs/polythiophene composites has achieved 0.18 emu/g, and the conductivity is 1.613 S/cm. Finally, based on the experimental results, the probable formation mechanism of this composite has been investigated. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.