Synthesis and morphological studies of uniquely shaped graphene oxide@piperazine‐polyaniline nanocomposites

The present study deals with the synthesis and detailed morphological characterization of novel ternary nanocomposites of graphene oxide@piperazine‐polyaniline (GO@PP‐PANI). The GO@PP‐PANI nanocomposites were obtained via traditional polymerization method under low temperature conditions. The facile and sustainable protocol for the synthesis of uniquely shaped GO@PP‐PANI nanocomposites is quite high yielding. The formation of ternary composites takes place in presence of graphene oxide (GO) leading to the generation of nanoblock structures. GO has dual role of acting as dopant as well as soft template. The morphology of composite was dramatically altered by the change in mass ratios of GO. The different shapes obtained in the present work were novel. The morphology and microstructure of the copolymers, piperazine‐polyaniline (PP‐PANI) and their GO@PP‐PANI nanocomposites were examined by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results of thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses results were of an enhanced thermal stability of the GO@PP‐PANI nanocomposites as compared with the PP‐PANI copolymers. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:E295–E302, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers