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Abstract: Composites of polyaniline (PANI) and a unique ordered mesoporous carbon MPC which possesses small pores inside the carbon walls have been prepared. The monomer (aniline) of PANI is firstly soaked in the small pores inside the carbon walls and then confined in the primary mesochannels as well with increasing the concentration of aniline in the soaking solution. After the following in situ polymerization, composites of PANI and MPC with bicontinuous interpenetrating framework are formed. The composites show significant redox activities at potentials negative to 0V vs. Hg/HgO in a strong alkaline solution, which is unusual for PANI and PANI based composites as PANI usually loses its electrochemical activity at pH>4. The specific capacitance of the composites is as high as 400Fg−1 at a high current density of 1Ag−1 in the potential range of −0.7 to 0V, which is twice higher than that of the host MPC. The capacitance only decreases about 9% when the discharge current density increases from 1 to 20Ag−1, indicative of excellent rate capability. Therefore, the composites are very promising for the application as electrode materials in supercapacitors, especially as materials for negative electrode in hybrid supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Composite material PANI/KIT-6, with polyaniline (PANI) chains encapsulated in the 3-D interconnected pore channels of mesoporous silica, KIT-6, has been synthesized via a gas-phase method. The composite formation and the presence of PANI inside the pore channels of KIT-6 were evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), small-angle X-ray scatter (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms. The PANI/KIT-6 composite showed good electrical conductivity (2.4×10−3 S/cm) due to the formation of 3-D networks of PANI inside the 3-D interconnected channels of KIT-6. The resistance of PANI/KIT-6 composite at different relative humidities (RH) was investigated. An essentially linear relationship between the relative resistance of the composite and the relative humidity of the environment was found from 11.3% to 97.3% RH. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Chemical anchoring of silica nanoparticles onto polyaniline (PANI) chains was conducted through electro-co-polymerization of aniline and N-substituted aniline grafted on surfaces of silica nanoparticles. The grafting of N-substituted aniline on surfaces of silica nanoparticles were realized through hydrolysis of triethoxysilylmethyl N-substituted aniline (ND42) and the following condensation reaction with silanol groups on surfaces of SiO2. Organic–inorganic interactions between PANI and SiO2 involved in electro-co-polymerization process pushed the polymer chains apart and so facilitated the 1D growth of the polymer. Hence, the obtained hybrid film PANI/ND42–SiO2 displayed nano-fibrous morphologies (ca. 50nm in diameter). Consequently, PANI/ND42–SiO2 exhibited an average specific capacitance of 380Fg−1, ca. 40% higher than that of PANI/SiO2 (276Fg−1). The hybrid film also showed improved cyclic stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]