Polyaniline and Carbon Nanotubes Based Composites Containing Whole Units and Fragments of Nanotubes

Using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, we show that composites based on polyaniline (PANI) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are different when they are prepared by two different methods: (1) by adding dispersed SWNTs to the polymer solutions and (2) by chemical polymerization of aniline in the presence of SWNTs. The difference originates from the irreversible chemical transformation of SWNTs in the polymerization medium. The synthesis medium used for the preparation of PANI transforms SWNTs into fragments of shorter length like closed-shell fullerenes. This explains the similarity of SERS and FTIR spectra of the composites PANI/SWNTs and PANI/C60 chemically prepared. All compounds exhibit an absorption band at 1144 cm-1 in their FTIR spectra, increasing with the carbon nanoparticules content, as a signature of a charge transfer between the constituents. Besides, the FTIR spectrum of the compounds obtained by adding SWNTs to the polymer solution display an intense absorption band with two components at 773 and 755 cm-1, which are associated with the vibration of deformation of the benzene and the quinoid ring, respectively. This indicates a strong hindrance effect produced by the binding on the polymer chain of voluminous carbon particles as nanotubes and large fragments of nanotubes.