CoCl2 reinforced polymeric nanocomposites of conjugated polymer (polyaniline) and its conductive properties

Polyaniline (PANI) was synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline using ammonium persulphate as an oxidant in acidic aqueous medium. Cobalt chloride hexahydrate (CoCl2⋅6H2O)-doped PANI composite was synthesized by in-situ oxidative polymerization process by using various concentrations of CoCl2. Its chemical, structural and morphological properties were examined by X-ray diffraction, energydispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy techniques. These results confirmed the successful formation of PANI and CoCl2-doped PANI nanocomposites. The morphology of CoCl2-doped PANI nanocomposite was found to be spherical in nature. The dielectric properties were examined using LCR-HITESTER in the frequency range 50 Hz–5 MHz. The optical properties were examined by UV–visible spectroscopic techniques in the wavelength range of 200–800 nm. The high dielectric properties and alternating current conductivity of the composite was studied in the temperature range 313–373 K. It was found that the synthesized polymeric nanocomposite owned fairly suitable dielectric and optical properties for its application in actuators, conductive paints and for many other purposes.