Characterization of Polypyrrole-hydroxyethylcellulose/TiO2 Nanocomposite: Thermal Properties and AFM Analysis

Polypyrrole–hydroxyethylcellulose/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 examined by atomic forced microscopy (AFM), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The AFM images of products indicated that hydroxyethylcellulose decreased the surface roughness of nanocomposite. Also, hydroxyethylcellulose decreased particle size. The molecular structure of product was determined by FTIR spectroscopy. The results of XRD confirmed crystalline structure of TiO2 nanoparticles and partly crystalline structure of PPy-HEC/TiO2 nanocomposite. Thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) was used to study the thermal behavior of nanocomposite. The TGA curves indicated that TiO2 and HEC enhanced thermal stability of products.