Thermal, mechanical and electrical properties of polyanaline based ceramic nano-composites

Abstract

Micro/nanohybrid materials have vast applications due to their great potentialities in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Herein we report an investigation on the fabrication and physicochemical characterization of ceramic (Fe0.01La0.01Al0.5Zn0.98O) and hybrid ceramic-polyaniline nano-composits. Ceramic nano-particles were prepared by sol-gel technique while optimizing the molar ratios of the constituent's metal nitrates. The prepared inorganic particles were then embedded in the polymer matrix via one-pot blending method. The prepared ceramic particles and their composites with polyaniline were analysed under FT- IR, SEM and TGA. The presence of some chemical species was observed at the interface of the compositing materials. TGA analysis showed the thermal stability of the composite material. Frequency dependent dielectric properties were analysed and it was found that conducting polyaniline has an additional effect on the electrical behaviour of the composite. Rheology study showed enhanced mechanical properties of composite material as compared to their constituting counterparts.