Electrically conductive and optically transparent polyaniline/montmorillonite nanocomposite thin films

• Published in: Thin solid films 2014-07, Vol.562, p.319-325
• Main Authors: KULHANKOVA, Lenka, TOKARSKY, Jonáš, MATEJKA, Vlastimil, PEIKERTOVA, Pavlína, VALLOVA, Silvie, MAMULOVA KUTLAKOVA, Katerina, STYSKALA, Vítězslav, CAPKOVA, Pavla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Conductivity; Electrical properties of specific thin films; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Montmorillonite; Morphology; Nanocomposite; Nanostructure; Optoelectronic devices; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Physics; Polyaniline; Polyanilines; Polymerization; Properties and characterization; Resistivity; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Structure and morphology; thickness; Sulfates; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film; Thin film structure and morphology; Thin films; Transparency
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2014.05.006

Simple technology (i.e. one-step polymerization of anilinium sulfate in the presence of montmorillonite) has been used to prepare polyaniline/montmorillonite (PANI/MMT) nanocomposite thin films. The present work is focused on the effect of MMT content on the thickness, morphology and electrical conductivity of PANI/MMT nanocomposite films. An increase in MMT content led to an increase in film thickness and surface roughness and to a decrease in conductivity from a maximum value of 356S/m to a minimum value of 76S/m, while for pure PANI films, prepared using the same polymerization procedure (from anilinium sulfate), the conductivity was 59S/m. On the other hand, the MMT content exhibited a significant impact on the optical transparency of PANI/MMT nanocomposite films, which was limited to the range of 450–650nm in contrast with pure PANI films showing non-zero transparency in the whole measured range of wavelength 300–800 nm. Atomic force microscopy clearly proved the alignment of PANI chains in nanocomposite films in comparison with pure PANI films. Scanning electron microscopy revealed in detail the significant difference in surface morphology between pure PANI films and PANI nanofilms covering the MMT particles. •Polyaniline/montmorillonite (PANI/MMT) thin films were prepared.•MMT particles organize PANI chains and consequently increase the conductivity.•The conductivity of 356S/m has been achieved.•PANI/MMT films exhibit selective optical transparency in the range of 450–650nm.