Formation Mechanism and Characterization of PANI Nanoparticles by Hybrid Chemical and Gamma Irradiation Technique

Abstract

Here we present additional data regarding specific doping process in nanoparticle samples of PANI. In such technique, the ionizing γ-irradiation and (dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid), DBSA were being used as dopants and as accelerators to the oxidizing agent to polymerize aniline monomer into conductive PANI Emeraldine Salt (ES), in which PANI was produced from its monomer by this noble methodology by a single-step process. In such synthesis technique, the interactions promote a more extended conformation of PANI chains, which leads to the improvement in solubility, the thermal stability and conductivity. Hence the dielectric and optical properties of PANI nanoparticles could be improved tremendously by incorporation of a long-chain organic acid (DBSA) as the dopant ion under the influence of γ-irradiation. It was also expected that the single step, direct double doping procedure (γ-ray and DBSA) could be used for synthesizing these nanomaterials with different long-chain dopant ions instead of the standard route of synthesizing, to avoid tedious steps involved like de-doping, re-doping etc.