Preparation and characterization of electromagnetic polyaniline/nickel plating graphite nanosheets composites through ultrasonic irradiation

Abstract With excellent electromagnetic properties of polyaniline/nickel plating graphite nanosheets (PANI/Ni-NanoG) composites have been synthesized through ultrasonic irradiation. A uniform nickel film was obtained on graphite nanosheets surface via electroless plating method. Then PANI/Ni-NanoG composites were fabricated via in situ polymerization of aniline monomer in the presence of nickel coated graphite nanosheet through using ultrasonic technique. The resultant PANI/Ni-NanoG composites were characterized by using different analyses like X-ray diffraction techniques (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and electromagnetic analysis. The FT-IR analysis revealed there was strong interaction between PANI and Ni-NanoG. XRD clearly indicates the typical graphite and the sharp nickel peaks. The electromagnetic analysis exhibited an unusual electromagnetic loss at the microwave frequency ( f = 8.2–12.4 GHz). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the composites showed that Ni-NanoG dispersed in the PANI uniformly. According to the electrically test, the conductivity of the PANI/Ni-NanoG composites was dramatically increased compared with pure PANI. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that the composites have a higher degradation temperature than PANI alone.