Organic-inorganic hybrids: A comprehensive review on synthesis and their potential applications

Abstract

Organic-inorganic hybrids highlight the advantages of the presence of organic compounds, due to their stability, flexibility, and adaptability, as well as the structural features of inorganic materials. This review delves into the interaction between conducting polymers (CPs) and metal oxides (MOs), showcasing their combined advantages in various sectors such as sensors, capacitors, catalysts, and fuel cells. This paper explores the synthesis methods of prominent CPs including Polypyrrole (PPy), Polyaniline (PANI), Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and Polyindole (PIn), along with a spectrum of MOs like zinc oxide (ZnO), copper oxide (CuO), titanium dioxide (TiO₂), manganese dioxide (MnO₂), iron oxides (Fe₂O₃ and Fe₃O₄), and nickel oxide (NiO). Diverse preparation techniques such as chemical oxidative, emulsion, and interfacial polymerization for CPs have been reported. Hydrothermal, co-precipitation, and sol-gel methods have been studied to synthesize MOs. Advanced characterization techniques such as Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) have been reported to study the structural and morphological aspects of CP-MO hybrids. These hybrids exhibit potential applications in sensors, biosensors, antimicrobial activity, energy storage devices, and photocatalysis. This review provides a comprehensive overview, which aims to explore the prospects and innovations in the area of organic-inorganic hybrids.