Surfactant‐Directed Polypyrrole/CNT Nanocables: Synthesis, Characterization, and Enhanced Electrical Properties

We describe here a new approach to the synthesis of size‐controllable polypyrrole/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocables by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization directed by the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) or the nonionic surfactant polyethylene glycol mono‐ p ‐nonylphenyl ether (O π –10). When carbon nanotubes are dispersed in a solution containing a certain concentration of CTAB or O π –10, the surfactant molecules are adsorbed and arranged regularly on the CNT surfaces. On addition of pyrrole, some of the monomer is adsorbed at the surface of CNTs and/or wedged between the arranged CTAB or O π –10 molecules. When ammonium persulfate (APS) is added, pyrrole is polymerized in situ at the surfaces of the CNTs (core layer) and ultimately forms the outer shell of the nanocables. Such polypyrrole/CNT nanocables show enhanced electrical properties; a negative temperature coefficient of resistance at 77–300 K and a negative magnetoresistance at 10–200 K were observed.