Enhanced electrical and thermal properties of (Cu, N) doped nano TiO2 incorporated polyaniline matrix synthesized using in situ chemical polymerization approach

Abstract

An alternative to create novel multifunctional materials with a broad range of applications in energy storage systems is the development of nano composite hybrid materials with good qualities from the right combination of chemically different components. Herein, Polyaniline hybrid composites containing nano pure TiO₂ and nano doped (Cu, N) TiO₂ (25 wt. %) were prepared using in situ chemical polymerization approach. All structural characterizations showed the addition effect of both nano pure TiO₂ and nano doped (Cu, N) TiO₂ on the polyaniline matrix. The well dispersion of spherical nano pure TiO₂ and nano doped (Cu, N) TiO₂ particles inside the rods structure of polyaniline chains, forming the core–shell exhibited good modification for both thermal stability and electrical properties enhancement. The results showed that all nanocomposites have high thermal stability compared to pure polyaniline. The sample containing nano nitrogen—doped TiO₂ (NDPC2) delivered AC- conductivity value of 5 × 10^–4 Ω⁻¹.cm⁻¹ at room temperature as well as exhibited the highest dielectric constant value compared to the other ones with a value of 26. The studied samples have low dielectric loss values, suggesting that they are effective shielding materials. The same sample exhibited the highest surface area (32.2 m²/g) and pore volume (0.119 cc/g) compared to the others, making it a promising sample for diverse applications of energy storage systems.

Graphical abstract