Optimized polyaniline‐transition metal oxide composites: A comparative study of alternating current conductivity via correlated barrier hopping model

Optimized polyaniline‐yttrium oxide (PANI‐Y₂O₃), polyaniline‐niobium pentoxide (PANI‐Nb₂O₅), and polyaniline‐titanium dioxide (PANI‐TiO₂) composites were prepared by mechanical mixing of chemically synthesized PANI with Y₂O₃, Nb₂O₅, and TiO₂ transition metal oxides respectively. The PANI and the composites were structurally characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Improved π‐electron delocalization in PANI‐Nb₂O₅ composite as compared to those in PANI and other composites was confirmed from FTIR and XRD analysis. Highly agglomerated, more densely packed spherical particles of PANI‐Nb₂O₅ composite than those of pristine PANI and other composites was confirmed by comparative study of their SEM images. Increase in AC conductivity of PANI‐Nb₂O₅ composite as compared to that of PANI and other composites due to the formation of interfacial heterojunction barrier between p‐type PANI and n‐type Nb₂O₅ was confirmed experimentally and well supported theoretically by calculating binding energy, hopping distance, and density of states at Fermi level as per correlated barrier hopping model. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:3545–3555, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers