Polyaniline: Doping and Functionalization with Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Photovoltaic and Photocatalytic Application
Polyaniline (PANI) was chemically doped and functionalized with single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Various characterization methods were employed to study the structure and optical properties of PANI/SWCNTs nanocomposite, such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorim...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/16/2595 |
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| author | Mariem Saoudi Boubaker Zaidi Abdullah A. Alotaibi M.G. Althobaiti Eid M. Alosime Ridha Ajjel |
| author_facet | Mariem Saoudi Boubaker Zaidi Abdullah A. Alotaibi M.G. Althobaiti Eid M. Alosime Ridha Ajjel |
| author_sort | Mariem Saoudi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Polyaniline (PANI) was chemically doped and functionalized with single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Various characterization methods were employed to study the structure and optical properties of PANI/SWCNTs nanocomposite, such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical absorption, and stationary photoluminescence. Additionally, a theoretical study using density functional theory calculations was also carried out. It has been demonstrated that the doping process may reduce the band gap without affecting the molecular structure, leading to a better compatibility with the solar spectrum. Moreover, the functionalization process with SWCNTs was able to significantly improve the properties of the resulting nanocomposite. The final interpenetrating network of PANI/SWCNTs exhibited an optical gap of nearly 2.28 eV, from which localized states induced by the charge transfer were created at nearly 1.70 eV. In addition, the resulting donor–acceptor network leads to a separation of electron holes pairs rather than their recombination, which can be used as an active layer in photovoltaic applications and a photocatalyst for advanced oxidation processes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:27:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-22b73ad9c1cb40bf8c3cbfe2f76db2b5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:27:06Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-22b73ad9c1cb40bf8c3cbfe2f76db2b52023-11-22T09:21:24ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602021-08-011316259510.3390/polym13162595Polyaniline: Doping and Functionalization with Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Photovoltaic and Photocatalytic ApplicationMariem Saoudi0Boubaker Zaidi1Abdullah A. Alotaibi2M.G. Althobaiti3Eid M. Alosime4Ridha Ajjel5Laboratory of Energies and Materials (LabEM), Higher School of Sciences and Technology of Hammam Sousse, Sousse University, Sousse 4011, TunisiaLaboratoire Physico-Chimie des Matériaux, Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences de Monastir, Université de Monastir, Monastir 5000, TunisiaDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Shaqra University, Dawadmi 11911, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Physics, Faculty of Science, Taif University, Taif 888, Saudi ArabiaKing Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), P.O. Box 6086, Riyadh 11442, Saudi ArabiaLaboratory of Energies and Materials (LabEM), Higher School of Sciences and Technology of Hammam Sousse, Sousse University, Sousse 4011, TunisiaPolyaniline (PANI) was chemically doped and functionalized with single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Various characterization methods were employed to study the structure and optical properties of PANI/SWCNTs nanocomposite, such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical absorption, and stationary photoluminescence. Additionally, a theoretical study using density functional theory calculations was also carried out. It has been demonstrated that the doping process may reduce the band gap without affecting the molecular structure, leading to a better compatibility with the solar spectrum. Moreover, the functionalization process with SWCNTs was able to significantly improve the properties of the resulting nanocomposite. The final interpenetrating network of PANI/SWCNTs exhibited an optical gap of nearly 2.28 eV, from which localized states induced by the charge transfer were created at nearly 1.70 eV. In addition, the resulting donor–acceptor network leads to a separation of electron holes pairs rather than their recombination, which can be used as an active layer in photovoltaic applications and a photocatalyst for advanced oxidation processes.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/16/2595dopingcarbon nanotubesfunctionalizationoptical characterizationDFTsolar cells |
| spellingShingle | Mariem Saoudi Boubaker Zaidi Abdullah A. Alotaibi M.G. Althobaiti Eid M. Alosime Ridha Ajjel Polyaniline: Doping and Functionalization with Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Photovoltaic and Photocatalytic Application Polymers doping carbon nanotubes functionalization optical characterization DFT solar cells |
| title | Polyaniline: Doping and Functionalization with Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Photovoltaic and Photocatalytic Application |
| title_full | Polyaniline: Doping and Functionalization with Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Photovoltaic and Photocatalytic Application |
| title_fullStr | Polyaniline: Doping and Functionalization with Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Photovoltaic and Photocatalytic Application |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polyaniline: Doping and Functionalization with Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Photovoltaic and Photocatalytic Application |
| title_short | Polyaniline: Doping and Functionalization with Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Photovoltaic and Photocatalytic Application |
| title_sort | polyaniline doping and functionalization with single walled carbon nanotubes for photovoltaic and photocatalytic application |
| topic | doping carbon nanotubes functionalization optical characterization DFT solar cells |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/16/2595 |
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