Novel, ternary clay/polypyrrole/silver hybrid materials through in situ photopolymerization

Montmorillonite/Poly(Pyrrole) for Low-Cost Supercapacitor Electrode Hybrid Materials

Conductive polymers such as polypyrrole have been widely used as pseudo-capacitive electrodes for supercapacitors. This work demonstrates a simple method to improve the performance of conductive polymer electrodes by adding montmorillonite in order to perform capacitive behavior. Conductive composite polymers (CCPs) based on montmorillonite/polypyrrole (MMT/PPy(Cl)) have been synthesized by polymerization using FeCl3 as an oxidizing agent. During the preparation of CCP, the effect of MMT/pyrrole mass ratio and the influence of the amount of added H+ and temperature of the synthesis medium on the electrochemical performance of the composite have been investigated. The investigation associated with conductivity measurement allowed us to determine the best conditions to reach a high specific capacitance of 465 F gr-1 measured by cyclic voltammetry with respect to the CCP synthesized at ambient temperature (220 F gr-1) and a 35% increase in capacity compared to its homologue synthesized in neutral conditions at a low temperature. These performances have been advantageously correlated both to the edge acidity of the host material and to the evolution of its conductivity according to the preparation conditions. The galvanostatic charge/discharge tests also confirm the stability of the obtained composite, and a capacitance of 325 F g-1 for the best CCP is recorded with a regime of 1 A g-1. In addition, the durability of the device shows that the proposed material has a relatively good stability during cycling.

Interface-assisted synthesis: a gateway to effective nanostructure tuning of conducting polymers

The interface-assisted polymerization technique can be viewed as a powerful emerging tool for the synthesis of conducting polymers (CPs) on a large scale. Contrary to other bulk or single-phase polymerization techniques, interface-assisted synthesis strategies offer effective nanostructure control in a confined two-dimensional (2-D) space. This review focuses on the types of interfaces, mechanism at the interface, advantages and future perspectives of the interfacial polymerization in comparison to conventional polymerization techniques. Hence, the primary focus is on briefing the different types of the chemical methods of polymerization, followed by uniqueness in the reaction dynamics of interface polymerization. The classification of interfaces into four types (liquid/solid, gas/liquid, liquid/liquid, and gas/solid) is based on the versatility and underlying mechanistic pathway of the polymerization of each type. The role of interface in tuning the nanostructure of CPs and the performance evaluation of pristine CPs based on the electrical conductivity are also discussed. Finally, the future outlook of this emerging field is discussed and proposed in detail through some multifunctional applications of synthesized conducting polymers.

Synthesis of In Situ Photoinduced Halloysite-Polypyrrole@Silver Nanocomposite for the Potential Application in Humidity Sensors

Halloysite-polypyrrole-silver nanocomposite has been prepared via in situ photopolymerizations of pyrrole in the presence of silanized halloysite and silver nitrate as a photoinitiator. The halloysite nanoclay (HNT) was modified using the hydrogen donor silane coupling agent (DMA) in order to provide anchoring sites for the polypyrrole/silver composite (PPy@Ag). The mass loadings for both PPy and Ag have been estimated to be 21 and 26 wt%, respectively. The anchored Ag particles were found in the metallic state. The resulting PPy@Ag-modified silanized HNT has been evaluated for the potential application for impedance humidity sensors. HNT-DMA-PPy@Ag nanocomposite with different weight % of PPy@Ag (0.25 wt%, 0.5 wt%, and 1 wt%) was deposited on the pre-patterned interdigital Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) electrodes by spin coating technique. The addition of Ag nanoparticles within the nanocomposite enhances the hydrophilicity of the sensing film, which improves the sensitivity of the humidity sensors. The HNT-DMA-PPy@Ag (0.5 wt%) nanocomposite-based impedance sensors showed good sensitivity and lowered hysteresis as compared to the other ratios of the composite. The maximum calculated hysteresis loss of the HNT-DMA-PPy@Ag (0.5 wt%)-based humidity sensor is around 4.5% at 80% RH (relative humidity), and the minimum hysteresis loss estimated to be 0.05% at 20% RH levels. The response and recovery time of HNT-DMA-PPy@Ag (0.5 wt%) nanocomposite-based impedance sensors were found to be 30 and 35 s, respectively. The interesting humidity-dependent impedance properties of this novel composite make it promising in humidity sensing.

Polypyrrole-Wrapped Carbon Nanotube Composite Films Coated on Diazonium-Modified Flexible ITO Sheets for the Electroanalysis of Heavy Metal Ions

Highly sensitive multicomponent materials designed for the recognition of hazardous compounds request control over interfacial chemistry. The latter is a key parameter in the construction of the sensing (macro) molecular architectures. In this work, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were deposited on diazonium-modified, flexible indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes prior to the electropolymerization of pyrrole. This three-step process, including diazonium electroreduction, the deposition of CNTs and electropolymerization, provided adhesively-bonded, polypyrrole-wrapped CNT composite coatings on aminophenyl-modified flexible ITO sheets. The aminophenyl (AP) groups were attached to ITO by electroreduction of the in-situ generated aminobenzenediazonium compound in aqueous, acidic medium. For the first time, polypyrrole (PPy) was electrodeposited in the presence of both benzenesulfonic acid (dopant) and ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethylether)-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), which acts as a chelator. The flexible electrodes were characterized by XPS, Raman and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which provided strong supporting evidence for the wrapping of CNTs by the electrodeposited PPy. Indeed, the CNT average diameter increased from 18 ± 2.6 nm to 27 ± 4.8, 35.6 ± 5.9 and 175 ± 20.1 after 1, 5 and 10 of electropolymerization of pyrrole, respectively. The PPy/CNT/NH₂-ITO films generated by this strategy exhibit significantly improved stability and higher conductivity compared to a similar PPy coating without any embedded CNTs, as assessed by from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The potentiometric response was linear in the 10⁻⁸–3 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ Pb(II) concentration range, and the detection limit was 2.9 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹ at S/N = 3. The EGTA was found to drastically improve selectivity for Pb(II) over Cu(II). To account for this improvement, the density functional theory (DFT) was employed to calculate the EGTA–metal ion interaction energy, which was found to be −374.6 and −116.4 kJ/mol for Pb(II) and Cu(II), respectively, considering solvation effects. This work demonstrates the power of a subtle combination of diazonium coupling agent, CNTs, chelators and conductive polymers to design high-performance electrochemical sensors for environmental applications.

Novel Enzyme-Free Multifunctional Bentonite/Polypyrrole/Silver Nanocomposite Sensor for Hydrogen Peroxide Detection over a Wide pH Range

Precise designs of low-cost and efficient catalysts for the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) over wide ranges of pH are important in various environmental applications. Herein, a versatile and ecofriendly approach is presented for the rational design of ternary bentonite-silylpropyl-polypyrrole/silver nanoarchitectures (denoted as BP-PS-PPy/Ag) via the in-situ photo polymerization of pyrrole with salinized bentonite (BP-PS) in the presence of silver nitrate. The Pyrrolyl-functionalized silane (PS) is used as a coupling agent for tailoring the formation of highly exfoliated BP-PS-PPy sheet-like nanostructures ornamented with monodispersed Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Taking advantage of the combination between the unique physicochemical properties of BP-PS-PPy and the outstanding catalytic merits of Ag nanoparticles (NPs), the as-synthesized BP-PS-PPy/Ag shows a superior electrocatalytic reduction and high-detection activity towards H₂O₂ under different pH conditions (from 3 to 10). Intriguingly, the UV-light irradiation significantly enhances the electroreduction activity of H₂O₂ substantially, compared with the dark conditions, due to the high photoelectric response properties of Ag NPs. Moreover, BP-PS-PPy/Ag achived a quick current response with a detection limit at 1 μM within only 1 s. Our present approach is green, facile, scalable and renewable.

Anti-corrosive and oil sensitive coatings based on epoxy/polyaniline/magnetite-clay composites through diazonium interfacial chemistry

Epoxy polymer nanocomposites filled with magnetite (Fe3O4) clay (B), named (B-DPA-PANI@Fe3O4) have been prepared at different filler loading (0.1, 0.5, 1, 3, 5 wt. %). The surface modification of clay by polyaniline (PANI) is achieved in the presence of 4-diphenylamine diazonium salt (DPA). The effects of the nanofiller loading on Tensile, mechanical and dielectric properties were systematically studied. Improved properties was highlighted for all reinforced samples. The addition of only 3 wt. % of the filler enhanced the tensile strength of the composites by 256%, and the glass transition temperature Tg by 37%. The dielectric spectra over a broad frequency showed a robust interface between the hybrid (B-DPA-PANI@Fe3O4) fillers and epoxy matrix. The results showed most significant improvement in corrosion inhibition using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3.5 wt % NaCl, as well as a significant response in oil sensing test. High charge transfer resistance of 110 × 106 Ω.cm2 using 3-wt % of filler was noted compared to 0.35 × 106 Ω.cm2 for the pure epoxy. The results obtained herein will open new routes for the preparation of efficient anticorrosion sensor coatings.

PDDA-Montmorillonite Composites Loaded with Ru Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Properties in Hydrogenation of 2-Butanone

The effect of synthesis parameters on the physicochemical properties of clay/ polydiallyldimethylammonium (PDDA)/Ru composites and their applicability in hydrogenation of 2-butanone under very mild conditions (room temperature, atmospheric pressure, and aqueous solution) was studied. Three synthetic procedures were employed, differing in the order of addition of components and the stage at which metallic Ru species were generated. The materials were characterized with XRD (X-ray diffraction), XRF (X-ray fluorescence), EDS (energy-dispersive spectroscopy), AFM (atomic force microscopy), TEM/HRTEM (transmission electron microscopy/high resolution transmission electron microscopy), and TG/DSC (thermal gravimetry/differential scanning microscopy techniques. The study revealed that the method of composite preparation affects its structural and thermal properties, and controls the distribution and size of Ru particles. All catalysts are active in hydrogenation of 2-butanone. For best catalytic performance (100% conversion within 30 min) both the size of Ru particles and the load of polymer had to be optimized. Superior catalytic properties were obtained over the composite with intermediate crystal size and intermediate PDDA load, prepared by generation of metallic Ru species in the polymer solution prior to intercalation. This method offers an easy way of controlling the crystal size by modification of Ru/PDDA ratio.

Sonochemical synthesis of Fe3O4@NH2-mesoporous silica@Polypyrrole/Pd: A core/double shell nanocomposite for catalytic applications

There is a growing interest in sonochemistry for either the controlled design of nanostructured materials or for the synthesis of polymers and polymer composites. It is fast and highly efficient method that provides materials with exceptional and enhanced structural and chemical properties. Herein, we take advantage of the versatile sonochemical process in order to design core/double layered shell nanocomposite denoted by Fe₃O₄@NH₂-mesoporous silica@ PPy/Pd. This magnetic, multicomponent material was designed in a three-step sono-process: (i) synthesis of magnetic core, (ii) cure of mesoporous silica, and (iii) sonochemical deposition of PPy/Pd. This last step was achieved within 1 h, a much shorter duration compared to conventional routes which usually take several hours to few days. The final nanocomposite can be recovered with a simple magnetic stick. X-ray diffraction patterns highlighted the presence of zerovalent palladium on the surface of the magnetic nanocomposite. The catalytic activity of the solid support was investigated by the study of the p-nitrophenol (p-NP) reduction and the Methyl Orange (MO) degradation in aqueous media. Results showed a very high catalytic efficiency, a high conversion yield of p-NP into 4-aminophenol (more than 94%) and an almost entire degradation of MO (99%) with a fast kinetics fitting to the first order model. This work demonstrates conclusively the benefits of sonochemistry in the design of metal nanoparticle-decorated inorganic/polymer hybrid system with outstanding performances.

Recent Advances in Nanostructured Conducting Polymers: from Synthesis to Practical Applications

Conducting polymers (CPs) have been widely studied to realize advanced technologies in various areas such as chemical and biosensors, catalysts, photovoltaic cells, batteries, supercapacitors, and others. In particular, hybridization of CPs with inorganic species has allowed the production of promising functional materials with improved performance in various applications. Consequently, many important studies on CPs have been carried out over the last decade, and numerous researchers remain attracted to CPs from a technological perspective. In this review, we provide a theoretical classification of fabrication techniques and a brief summary of the most recent developments in synthesis methods. We evaluate the efficacy and benefits of these methods for the preparation of pure CP nanomaterials and nanohybrids, presenting the newest trends from around the world with 205 references, most of which are from the last three years. Furthermore, we also evaluate the effects of various factors on the structures and properties of CP nanomaterials, citing a large variety of publications.

Diazonium salt-based photoiniferter as a new efficient pathway to clay–polymer nanocomposites

Diazonium salts were used to prepare clay–polymer nanocomposites by living free radical photopolymerization of glycidyl methacrylate. The resulting intercalated nanocomposites have an organic mass loading of ∼41 wt% and a polymer-rich surface.

Ligand-modified mesoporous silica SBA-15/silver hybrids for the catalyzed reduction of methylene blue

Mesoporous silica SBA-15 was prepared and functionalized by (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane in order to bind 2-aminothiazole and aminopropyl-triazole ligands.

Novel Electrochemical Synthesis of Polypyrrole/Ag Nanocomposite and Its Electrocatalytic Performance towards Hydrogen Peroxide Reduction

A simple electrochemical method of synthesis of polypyrrole/silver (PPy/Ag) nanocomposite is presented. The method is based on potentiodynamic polymerization of pyrrole followed by electrodeposition of silver employing a single potentiostatic pulse. The synthesized PPy film has embedded Ag nanocubes. The morphology and structure of the resulting nanocomposite were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Electron paramagnetic resonance studies showed that silver nanoparticle deposition on polypyrrole leads to an increase in carrier density, indicative of enhanced conductivity of the resulting composite. Electrocatalytic performance of the prepared composite was examined for reduction of hydrogen peroxide and was compared with corresponding PPy film and bare glassy carbon electrode.

Exfoliated clay/polyaniline nanocomposites through tandem diazonium cation exchange reactions and in situ oxidative polymerization of aniline

Exfoliated, conductive clay/polyaniline nanocomposites were prepared by polymerization of aniline in the presence of diazonium cation exchanged bentonite.