Characterization of Polypyrrole Hydroxyethyl Cellulose/TiO2 Nanocomposite: Thermal Properties and AFM Analysis

Polypyrrole hydroxyethyl cellulose/TitaniumDioxide (PPY-HEC/TiO2) nanocomposite was synthesized via in situ chemical oxidative polymerization method at room temperature in water and water/ethyl acetate solution in the presence of ferric chloride (FeCl3). The effect of TiO2 nanoparticles and HEC on the characteristics of products such as thermal stability and morphology was investigated. The fabricated composite and nanocomposite morphology and structure were analyzed by atomicforced microscopy (AFM), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The AFM images of products indicated that hydroxyethyl cellulose decreased the surface roughness of nanocomposite.Also, hydroxyethyl cellulose decreased particle size. The molecular structure of product wasdetermined by FTIR spectroscopy. The results of XRD confirmed crystalline structure of TiO2 nanoparticles and partly crystalline structure of PPY-HEC/TiO2 nanocomposite. TGA was used tostudy the thermal behavior of nanocomposite. The TGA curves indicated that TiO2 and HEC enhanced thermal stability of products

Keywords:

Polypyrrole , Hydroxyethylcellulose , TitaniumDioxide , Thermal Properties , AFM Analysis