Water‐dispersible conducting polyaniline/nano‐SiO2 composites without any stabilizer

A water‐dispersible conducting polyaniline/ nano‐SiO₂ composite, with a conductivity of 0.071 S cm^?1 at 25°C, was prepared by the oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of amorphous nano‐SiO₂ particles. And the structure, morphology, thermal stability, conductivity, and electroactivity of this composite were also investigated. This composite has been steadily dispersed in the aqueous solution for about 10–36 h without the need for any stabilizer. It would significantly impulse the commercial applications of conducting polyaniline/nano‐SiO₂ composite as fillers for antistatic and anticorrosion coatings. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Electrochemical investigations on the corrosion protection effect of poly(vinyl carbazole)‐silica hybrid sol–gel materials

A series of sol–gel derived organic–inorganic hybrid coatings consisting of organic poly (vinyl carbazole) (PVK) and inorganic silica (SiO₂), with 3‐(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (MSMA) as coupling agent, were successfully synthesized. First of all, vinyl carbazole (VCz) monomers are copolymerized with MSMA by performing free‐radical polymerization reactions with AIBN as initiator. Subsequently, as‐prepared copolymer (i.e., sol–gel precursor) was further reacted with various feeding content of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) through organic acid (CSA)‐catalyzed sol–gel reaction to form a series of PVK‐silica hybrid (PSH) sol–gel materials. The as‐synthesized hybrid materials were subsequently characterized by Fourier‐Transformation infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and solid‐state ²⁹Si NMR. It should be noted that the PVK‐SiO₂ hybrid (PSH) coating on cold‐rolled steel (CRS) electrode with low silica loading (e.g., 10 phr) was found to be superior in anticorrosion property over those of neat PVK based on a series of electrochemical measurements such as corrosion potential, polarization resistance, corrosion current, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 3.5 wt% NaCl electrolyte. The better anticorrosion performance of PSH coatings as compared to that of neat polymer may probably be attributed to the stronger adhesion strength of PSH coatings on CRS electrode, which was further evidenced by Scotch tape test evaluation. Increase of adhesion strength of PSH coatings on CRS electrode may be associated with the formation of Fe–O–Si covalent bonds at the interface of PSH coating and CRS electrode based on the FTIR–RAS (reflection absorption spectroscopy) studies. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Preparation of core–shell poly(acrylic acid)/polystyrene/SiO2 hybrid microspheres

Core–shell poly(acrylic acid)/polystyrene/SiO₂ (PAA/PS/SiO₂) hybrid microspheres were prepared by dispersion polymerization with three stages in ethanol and ethyl acetate mixture medium. Using vinyltriethoxysilane (VTEOS) as silane agent, functional silica particles structured vinyl groups on surfaces were prepared by hydrolysis and polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane and VTEOS in core stage. Then, the silica particles were used as seeds to copolymerize with styrene and acrylic acid sequentially in shell stage I and stage II to form PAA/PS/SiO₂ hybrid microspheres. Transmission electron microscope results show that most PAA/PS/SiO₂ hybrid microspheres are about 40 nm in diameter, and the silica cores are about 15 nm in diameter, which covered with a layer of PS about 7.5‐nm thick and a layer of PAA about 5‐nm thick. This core–shell structure is also conformed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. FTIR results show that silica core, PS shell, and PAA outermost shell are bonded by covalents. In the core–shell PAA/PS/SiO₂ hybrid microsphere, the silica core is rigidity, and the PAA outermost shell is polarity, while the PS layer may work as lubricant owning to its superior processing rheological property in polymer blending. These core–shell PAA/PS/SiO₂ hybrid microspheres have potential as new materials for polar polymer modification. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 1729–1733, 2006     

Preparation of polyaniline coated polystyrene‐poly(styrene‐co‐sodium 4‐styrenesulfonate) microparticles and the further fabrication of hollow polyaniline microspheres

In this article, the microparticles of polystyrene‐poly(styrene‐co‐sodium 4‐styrenesulfonate) (PS‐PSS) coated by polyaniline (PANI) were prepared and hollow PANI microspheres were further obtained by dissolving the core. First, surface‐sulfonated monodispersed PS was prepared by copolymerization of sodium 4‐styrenesulfonate (SSS) and styrene with dispersion polymerization method. Then aniline was polymerized on the surface of the surface‐sulfonated PS (PS‐PSS) by chemical oxidative polymerization. After purification, we prepared core‐shell (PS‐PSS)/PANI particles. Hollow PANI microspheres were prepared by dissolving the plastic PS core of the (PS‐PSS)/PANI particles in chloroform. The growth process of PANI on the surface of PS‐PSS particles was investigated and the hollow PANI microspheres were characterized. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Preparation and properties of 8‐hydroxyquinoline aluminum quinoline/polyaniline core–shell composite

Polyaniline (PANI) as an excellent conducting polymer material has been used to synthesize 8‐hydroxyquinoline aluminum quinoline/polyaniline (Alq₃/PANI) composites with core‐shell structure which is expected to form ultra‐conjugated system between core/shell and be used as organic electronic material. Alq₃ was coated by sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate doped PANI via in situ polymerization of aniline on the surface of Alq₃. The morphology, structure crystallinity, and thermal stability of synthesized composite were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis. Results indicated that the composite is core‐shell structure and exhibits good thermal stability. Conductivity of composite was investigated and showed that Alq₃ as core in composite which improved the conductivity of pristine PANI, indicating that electronic interactive effect was formed between core and shell. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:272–277, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Shielding and dielectric properties of sulfonic acid‐doped π‐conjugated polymer in 8.2–12.4 GHz frequency range

This article deals with dielectric and electromagnetic interference shielding properties of the polyaniline doped with dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid (DBSA) synthesized by microemulsion polymerization of aniline in aqueous solution of DBSA. Dielectric constant and shielding effectiveness due to absorption (SE_A) were calculated using S‐parameter obtained from the vector network analyzer in 8.2–12.4 GHz frequency range. Maximum SE_A of 26 dB (>99%) was achieved for polymer sample. The real part ε′ of complex permittivity shows small variation, whereas the imaginary part ε″ is found to decrease with the increase in frequency. Different formulations have been performed to see the effect of monomer to dopant ratio on intrinsic properties of polyaniline. Further characterization of polymer was carried out by UV–visible and thermal gravimetric analysis, whereas the conductivity measurements were carried out by the four‐probe method.© 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Reversed micelle Synthesis of Ag/polyaniline nanocomposites via an in situ ultraviolet photo‐redox mechanism

Silver/polyaniline nanocomposites were synthesized in reversed micellar solution, and the reaction was performed via in situ reduction of silver nitrate in aniline by photolysis. The nanocomposites were characterized by ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermo‐gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetric analysis, and electrochemical methods. The results showed that the Ag/polyaniline nanocomposites are composed of nano‐sized particles of 15–30 nm that contain Ag domains of 10–15 nm. The electrical conductivity of an Ag/polyaniline pellet is 95.89 S cm⁻¹, whereas a polyaniline pellet is found to be 3.1 × 10⁻² S cm⁻¹. Ag/polyaniline composites also have a higher degradation temperature and specific capacitance, when compared with pure polyaniline. Potentiodynamic polarization showed the anodic shifting of the zero current potential and a lower exchange current density for the Ag/polyaniline composite. Compared with polyaniline, the Ag/polyaniline nanocomposite is a promising candidate for coatings with improved anticorrosion performance. POLYM. COMPOS.,, 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Single step modification of micrometer-sized polystyrene particles by electromagnetic polyaniline and sorption of chromium(VI) metal ions from water

This article describes a single-step reproducible approach for the surface modification of micrometer-sized polystyrene (PS) core particles to prepare electromagnetic PS/polyaniline–Fe₃O₄ (PS/PANi–Fe₃O₄) composite particles. The electromagnetic PANi–Fe₃O₄ shell was formed by simultaneous seeded chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline and precipitation of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. The weight ratio of PS to aniline was optimized to produce core–shell structure. PS/PANi–Fe₃O₄ composite particles were used as adsorbent for the removal of Cr(VI) via anion-exchange mechanism. The composite particles possessed enough magnetic property for magnetic separation. The adsorption was highly pH dependent. Adsorption efficiency reached 100% at pH 2 in 120 min when 0.05 g of composite particles was mixed with 30 mL 5 mg L⁻¹ Cr(VI) solution. The adsorption isotherm fitted best with Freundlich model and maximum adsorption capacity approached 20.289 mg g⁻¹ at 323 K. The prepared composite was found to be an useful adsorbent for the removal of soluble Cr(VI) ions. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47524.     

Preparation and characterization of core‐shell polystyrene/polyaniline/Pd composites and their catalytic properties for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol

Herein, polystyrene/polyaniline/Pd (PS/PANI/Pd) core‐shell composite catalysts were prepared by a facile swelling‐diffusion‐interfacial polymerization method. PS microparticles were firstly prepared by dispersion polymerization and were swollen by aniline monomer without any surface modification. H₂PdCl₄ acid was used as palladium precursor. The was adsorbed on the surface of aniline‐swollen PS microparticles because of the electrostatic attraction between and anilinium positive ions protonated by H⁺, which was diffused from the aniline‐swollen PS microparticles. Then HCl solution was added to control the diffusion rate of anilinium positive ions and ammonium persulfate (APS) was used to polymerize the anilinium ions to get PANI shell. Due to the redox activity between PANI and Pd ions, Pd nanoparticles can be in situ formed on the surfaces of PS. Therefore, the core‐shell PS/PANI/Pd composite catalysts were obtained. The morphology and structure of the obtained composites was characterized by TEM, FT‐IR and EDX. Results showed that the products presented excellent catalytic properties for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP) to 4‐aminophenol (4‐AP) in the presence of NaBH₄ by virtue of the interaction between Pd nanoparticles and conducive PANI shell. The catalytic reaction obeyed the pseudo‐first‐order reaction equations and the reaction rate constants were also calculated in this article. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44812.     

Synthesis,characterization, and comparative study of conducting polyaniline/lead titanate and polyaniline–dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid/lead titanate composites

To study the effect of a surfactant on the properties of polyaniline (PANI)/metal oxide composites, PANI/lead titanate (PbTiO₃) composites were synthesized with different weight percentages (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 wt %) of PbTiO₃ in both the absence and presence of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) by the polymerization of aniline with ammonium persulfate as an initiator. The structural characteristics and stability, surface characteristics, and electric properties of PANI/PbTiO₃ and PANI–DBSA/PbTiO₃ were studied and compared. The interfacial interactions and thermal stability of these composites were characterized with X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetry techniques. The results indicate significant changes in the physicochemical properties of the composites with the incorporation of DBSA. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Exploration of the morphological transition phenomenon of polyaniline from microspheres to nanotubes in acid‐free aqueous 1‐propanol solution in a single polymerization process

Polyaniline micro‐ or nanostructures have been widely investigated due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Although several studies have reported the synthesis of polyaniline microspheres and nanotubes, their mechanisms of formation remain controversial. This study reports our observation of the morphological transition of polyaniline from microspheres to nanotubes in a single polymerization process and also tries to propose their mechanisms of formation. The polymerization of aniline monomer in acid‐free aqueous 1‐propanol solutions (1 and 2 mol L^?1) produces polyaniline microspheres and nanotubes at different reaction stages through a morphology transition process with treatment using ultrasound. In the initial reaction stage, Fourier transform infrared spectra indicate that the aniline monomers form phenazine‐like units, producing polyaniline microspheres with an outside diameter of 1–2 µm. The hydrogen bonds between 1‐propanol and polyaniline serve as the driving force for the polyaniline chains to build microspheres. As the reaction continues, observation indicates the microspheres decompose and reform one‐dimensional nanotubes. In this stage, a structure consisting of a head of phenazine‐like units and a tail of acid‐doping para‐linked aniline units develops. The protonation of the para‐linked aniline units provides the driving force for the formation of nanotubes through a self‐curling process. We report here the unique morphology transition of polyaniline from microspheres to nanotubes in a single polymerization process. The results indicate that the structural change of polyaniline leads to this morphological change. The mechanisms of formation of the microspheres and nanotubes in a polymerization process are also well explained. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of reaction conditions on the formation of nanotubes/nanoparticles of polyaniline in the presence of 1‐amino‐2‐naphthol‐4‐sulfonic acid and applications as electrostatic charge dissipation material

BACKGROUND: Poly(1‐amino‐2‐naphthol‐4‐sulfonic acid) and its copolymers with aniline are a new class of conducting polymers which can acquire intrinsic protonic doping ability, leading to the formation of highly soluble self‐doped homopolymers and copolymers. Free ? OH and ? NH₂ groups in the polymer chain can combine with other functional groups that could be present in protective paints which can thus be successfully used as antistatic materials. RESULTS: This paper reports the formation of nanotubes of polyaniline on carrying out oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of 1‐amino‐2‐naphthol‐4‐sulfonic acid (ANSA) in p‐toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA) as an external dopant. The presence of ? SO₃H groups in the ANSA comonomer allows the copolymer to acquire intrinsic protonic doping ability. The polymerization mechanism was investigated by analysing the ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, Fourier transform infrared and X‐ray photoelectron spectra of the copolymers and homopolymers, which revealed the involvement of ? OH/? NH₂ in the reaction mechanism. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed how the reaction route and the presence of a dopant can affect the morphology and size of the polymers. Static decay time measurements were also carried out on conducting copolymer films prepared by blending of 1 wt% of copolymers of ANSA and aniline with low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) which showed a static decay time of 0.1 to 0.31 s on dissipating a charge from 5000 to 500 V. CONCLUSION: Copolymers of ANSA with aniline were synthesized in different reaction media, leading to the formation of nanotubes and nanoparticles of copolymer. Blends of 1 wt% of PTSA‐ and self‐doped copolymers of ANSA and aniline with LDPE can be formulated into films with effective antistatic properties. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Silica–polyaniline hybrid materials prepared by inverse emulsion polymerization for epoxy‐based anticorrosive coating

Polyaniline doped with dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (PAni.DBSA) was prepared by inverse emulsion polymerization of aniline in toluene medium in the presence of silica (SiO₂) nanoparticles. The presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) during the aniline polymerization results in hybrid material with smaller particle size, as indicated by dynamic light scattering analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Also the electrical conductivity of such hybrid is one order higher, as compared with that prepared without CTAB. Moreover, more ordered PAni chain is obtained as indicated by the red shift of the π–polaron transition band observed by UV–vis spectroscopy and higher crystallinity observed by X‐ray diffraction analysis. Anti‐corrosive properties of carbon steel substrate coated with epoxy resin containing 5 wt % of PAni.DBSA and the corresponding SiO₂‐based hybrid materials were evaluated in 3.5% NaCl solution by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The coating resistance increases by one order for the epoxy system containing PAni.DBSA/SiO₂ hybrid prepared in the presence of CTAB, thus confirming the anticorrosion efficiency of this hybrid. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45505.     

Effect of aniline‐formaldehyde resin on the reduced conjugation length of doped polyaniline: Thermal studies

A linear aniline‐formaldehyde resin (AF) complexed with different acids was successfully synthesized with the traditional way of polymerizing a novolac‐type phenolic resin. When the AF(DBSA)_1.0 (AF complexed with only HDBSA (n‐dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid)) was blended with PANI(DBSA)_0.5 (polyaniline doped only by HDBSA, the T_gs (glass transition temperatures) of the polyblends decreased with PANI(DBSA)_0.5, indicating the presence of the compatibility that can alter the doping condition of PANI(DBSA)_0.5 by changing the conjugation length. In the polyblend system, it was also confirmed when the polyblend of 50/50 showed a higher residue weight than the rest of polyblends after being heated up to 450°C. The λ_max of UV–vis spectra of PANI (DBSA)_0.5 demonstrates a red shifts indicating the secondary doping effect (increasing conjugation length) was recovered when PANI(DBSA)_0.5 was mixed with less than 50% of AF(DBSA)_0.5 (HCl)_0.5. Similar phenomenon of red shift was found for the blended samples of PANI(DBSA)_0.5/AF(DBSA)_1.0 at high temperatures. IR spectra revealed an alkyl affinity interaction is present between PANI(DBSA)_0.5 and AF(DBSA)_1.0 at room temperature and a strong and free localized polaron band appeared at high temperatures due to the recovery of secondary doping. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 2120–2128, 2007     

An improved phase‐inversion process for the preparation of silica/poly[styrene‐co‐(acrylic acid)] core–shell microspheres: synthesis and application in the field of polyolefin catalysis

Spherical and well‐dispersed silica/poly[styrene‐co‐(acrylic acid)] (SiO₂/PSA) core–shell particles have been synthesized using an improved phase‐inversion process. The resulting particles were successfully used as supports for polyolefin catalysts in the production of polyethylene with broad molecular weight distribution. Through the vapor phase, instead of the liquid phase in the traditional process, a non‐solvent was introduced into a mixture of micrometer‐sized SiO₂ and PSA solution. The core–shell structure of the resulting SiO₂/PSA microspheres was confirmed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transfer infrared spectrometry, thermogravimetric analysis and measurement of nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms. In order to avoid agglomeration of particles and to obtain a good dispersion of the SiO₂/PSA core–shell microspheres, the non‐solvent was added slowly. As the concentration of PSA solution increased, the surface morphology of the core–shell particles became looser and more irregular. However, the surface area and the pore volume remained the same under varying PSA concentrations. The SiO₂/PSA core‐shell microspheres obtained were used as a catalyst carrier system in which the core supported (n‐BuCp)₂ZrCl₂ and the shell supported TiCl₄. Ethylene/1‐hexene copolymerization results indicated that the zirconocene and titanium‐based Ziegler–Natta catalysts were compatible in the hybrid catalyst, showing high activities. The resulting polyethylene had high molecular weight and broad molecular weight distribution. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Palladium‐Iminodiacetic Acid Immobilized on pH‐Responsive Polymeric Microspheres: Efficient Quasi‐Homogeneous Catalyst for Suzuki and Heck Reactions in Aqueous Solution

The pH‐responsive core‐shell microspheres of poly(styrene‐co‐methylacrylic acid) (PS‐co‐PMAA) containing a polystyrene (PS) core and a poly(methylacrylic acid) (PMAA) shell are synthesized by one‐stage soap‐free copolymerization and the catalyst system palladium‐iminodiacetic acid (IDA‐Pd) is immobilized on the outer shell‐layer of the core‐shell microspheres to form the quasi‐homogeneous and easily accessible catalyst PS‐co‐PMAA‐IDA‐Pd. This quasi‐homogeneous PS‐co‐PMAA‐IDA‐Pd catalyst is highly dispersed in the reaction medium just like a homogeneous one and can be separated like a heterogeneous catalyst by adjusting the pH of the reaction medium. Suzuki reactions employing the quasi‐homogeneous PS‐co‐PMAA‐IDA‐Pd catalyst are efficiently performed in water as the sole solvent under mild conditions such as room temperature. The PS‐co‐PMAA‐IDA‐Pd catalyst is also used in Heck reactions of a wide range of aryl halides with styrene and proves to be efficient in aqueous solution. The PS‐co‐PMAA‐IDA‐Pd catalyst has a low leaching loss and can be reused at least 4 times without loss of activity.     

Adaptive Polymeric Coatings with Self‐Reporting and Self‐Healing Dual Functions from Porous Core–Shell Nanostructures

In biological system, early detection and treatment at the same moment is highly required. For synthetic materials, it is demanding to develop materials that possess self‐reporting of early damage and self‐healing simultaneously. This dual function is achieved in this work by introducing an intelligent pH‐responsive coatings based on poly(divinylbenzene)‐graft‐poly(divinylbenzene‐co‐methacrylic acid) (PDVB‐graft‐P(DVB‐co‐AA)) core–shell microspheres as smart components of the polymer coatings for corrosion protection. The key component, synthesized PDVB‐graft‐P(DVB‐co‐AA) core–shell microspheres are porous and pH responsive. The porosity allows for encapsulation of the corrosion inhibitor of benzotriazole and the fluorescent probe, coumarin. Both loading capacities can be up to about 15 wt%. The polymeric coatings doped with the synthesized microspheres can adapt immediately to the varied variation in pH value from the electrochemical corrosion reaction and release active molecules on demand onto the damaged cracks of the coatings on metal surfaces. It leads simultaneously to the dual functions of self‐healing and self‐reporting. The corrosion area can be self‐reported in 6 h, while the substrate can be protected at least for 1 month in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. These pH‐responsive materials with self‐reporting and self‐healing dual functions are highly expected to have a bright future due to their smart, long‐lasting, recyclable, and multifunctional properties.     

Preparation and characterization of core–shell polystyrene and polymethylsilsesquioxane structure latex particles by seeded polymerization

Composite polystyrene and polymethylsilsesquioxane (PS‐PMSSQ) latices were prepared by hydrolysis and polycondensation of triethoxylmethylsilane (TEOMS) in the presence of PS seed latices, obtained by gamma ray induced polymerization. Morphology of the composite latex particles was observed by transmission electronic microscopy and their size distribution was measured by dynamic laser light scattering. It was found that if 1 wt% silicon‐containing surfactant (SCS) and 0.4 wt% dodecylbenzene sulphonic acid (DBSA) were both used, core–shell/PS‐PMSSQ latex particles could be prepared at 30 °C. The core–shell structure was further characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectrometry. With 0.5 wt% SCS or 0.2 wt% DBSA, the capsulation was incomplete. At 0 and 90 °C, the PMSSQ phase penetrated into the seed particles. No core–shell structure was observed when DBSA was replaced by hydrochloric acid or SCS was replaced by poly(ethylene glycol) monooctylphenyl ether. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Synthesis and characterization of conducting poly(aniline‐co‐diaminodiphenylsulfone) copolymers

Polyaniline, poly(aniline‐co‐4,4′‐diaminodiphenylsulfone), and poly(4,4′‐diaminodiphenylsulfone) were synthesized by ammonium peroxydisulfate oxidation and characterized by a number of techniques, including infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy, ¹H‐NMR, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. These copolymers had enhanced solubility in common organic solvents in comparison with polyaniline. The conductivities of the HCl‐doped polymers ranged from 1 S cm^?1 for polyaniline to 10^?8 S cm^?1 for poly(4,4′‐diaminodiphenylsulfone). The copolymer compositions showed that block copolymers of 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylsulfone (r₁ > 1) and aniline (r₂ < 1) formed and that the reactivity of 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylsulfone was greater than that of aniline. The results were explained by the effect of the ? SO₂? group present in the polymer structure. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 2337–2347, 2003     

Fabrication of core–shell nanocomposites with enhanced photocatalytic efficacy

The current study establishes the unprecedented involvement in the evolution and production of novel core–shell nanocomposites composed of nanosized titanium dioxide and aniline‐o‐phenylenediamine copolymer. TiO₂@copoly(aniline and o‐phenylenediamine) (TiO₂@PANI‐o‐PDA) core–shell nanocomposites were chemically synthesized in a molar ratio of 5:1 of the particular monomers and several weights of nano‐TiO₂ via oxidative copolymerization. The construction of the TiO₂@PANI‐o‐PDA core–shell nanocomposites was ascertained from Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy and XRD. A reasonable thermal behavior for the original copolymer and the TiO₂@PANI‐o‐PDA core–shell nanocomposites was investigated. The bare PANI‐o‐PDA copolymer was thermally less stable than the TiO₂@PANI‐o‐PDA nanocomposites. The core–shell feature of the nanocomposites was found to have core and shell sizes of 17 nm and 19–26 nm, respectively. In addition, it was found that the addition of a high ratio of TiO₂ nanoparticles increases the electrical conductivity and consequently lowers the electrical resistivity of the TiO₂@PANI‐o‐PDA core–shell nanocomposites. The hybrid photocatalysts exhibit a dramatic photocatalytic efficacy of methylene blue degradation under solar light irradiation. A plausible interpretation of the photocatalytic degradation results of methylene blue is also demonstrated. Our setup introduces a facile, inexpensive, unique and efficient technique for developing new core–shell nanomaterials with various required functionalities and colloidal stabilities. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry