A novel strategy for tailoring cerium oxide polyaniline nanocomposites for photocatalytic preparation of aniline

Abstract

Cerium oxide polyaniline nanocomposites were synthesized in an effective manner to produce a uniform core-shell structure of the particles. This nanocomposite was then used in the photocatalytic synthesis of aniline. Synthesis conditions, heat treatment, and other factors that affect the structural properties of nanocomposite were studied extensively to optimize the synthesis process. Polyaniline nanospheres (PANI_NS) were prepared by the microemulsion method. Polyaniline nanoparticles (PANI_NP) were fabricated through polymerization (chemical oxidative process) of aniline. Specific surface area values of PANI_NS, CeO2 @PANI_NS, PANI_ NP, CeO2@PANI_NP, and CeO2 _NS were 200, 260, 40, 110 and 130 m2 /g respectively. The photo-catalytic effeciency of the nanocomposite was investigated through converting nitrobenzene to aniline via reduction reaction under visible light illumination. CeO2@PANI_NS outperforms CeO2 @PANI_NP 1.4 times, PANI_NS 2.5 times, PANI_NP 6.6 times, CeO2 _NS 14.3 times in terms of photocatalytic reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline