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Uniform Polyaniline Nanotubes Formation via Frozen Polymerization and Application for Oxygen Reduction Reactions
Author(s) -
Wang FuKe,
Wang Zhijuan,
Tana Maureen B. H.,
He Chaobin
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201400611
Subject(s) - polyaniline , ammonium persulfate , materials science , polymerization , chemical engineering , kirkendall effect , nanotube , nanostructure , carbon nanotube , emulsion polymerization , polymer chemistry , nanotechnology , polymer , composite material , engineering , metallurgy
A frozen polymerization technique to prepare uniform polyaniline (PANI) nanotubes is reported, based on the concept of the Kirkendall effect that has been successfully applied for preparation of inorganic hollow nanostructures. Specifically, PANI nanotubes with a uniform diameter of 45 nm are prepared by combination of freezing and templating to control the diffusion of aniline and ammonium persulfate at the PANI interface. Due to the low entropy diffusion at solid state and polymerization at low temperature, ordered packed anilines and high crystalline PANI nanotubes are obtained, which greatly facilitate the conversion to conductive nanotubes with nanoscale graphitic domains at low carbonization temperature. The resulting conductive nanotubes exhibit improved catalytic performance in oxygen reduction reactions, suggesting the high potential application of the frozen polymerization technique in preparation of high performance PANI nanostructures.