Hydrothermal synthesis of carbon nanotubes-polyaniline (CNT-PANI) composites and preliminary electrochemical characterization of CNT-PANI coatings

Abstract

Heavy metals have a major contribution to biosphere pollution due to toxicity. The detection and monitoring of the environmental agents in soil, water and air is very important for the general health of humans and animals. It has been recently shown that electrochemical techniques such as differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) using modified electrodes are very attractive methods for detecting heavy metals. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the potential of hydrothermal process combined with electrochemical techniques to obtain modified electrodes based on functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and polyaniline (PANI) for metals detection. Commercial multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were functionalized by a mixture of HNO3/H2SO4and further used for hydrothermal synthesis of CNT-PANI composites with different mass ratios. The resulted powders were analyzed by spectral (Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and thermal (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) methods, and then dispersed in a surfactant/electrolyte solution for preliminary electrochemical experiments (cyclic voltammetry, CV and DPV) to obtain modified electrodes. The influence of the CNT: PANI mass ratio and the synthesis time on the formation of composites with the desired structural and electrochemical properties were studied. It was found that CNT-PANI composite powder having mass ratio 1:4 and synthesis time 3h has the best structural and thermal characteristics and formed a weakly conductive film on the surface of the glassy carbon electrode. Preliminary electrochemical tests revealed the electroactive forms of polyaniline, through the presence of characteristic oxidation peaks but also reduction peaks, corresponding to reversible redox reactions, demonstrating that glassy carbon electrode has been electrochemically modified with CNTPANI coatings. Further studies will be conducted to test the potential application of glassy carbon electrode modified with CNT-PANI coatings as electrochemical sensor for heavy metals detection.