Processible nanomaterials with high conductivity and magnetizability. Preparation and properties of maghemite/polyaniline nanocomposite films

Abstract A versatile process employing anionic surfactants has been developed for the preparation of processible nanocomposite films with electrical conductivity and magnetic susceptibility. Maghemite ( γ Fe 2 O 3 ) nanoclusters (~10 nm in size) are coated with 4-dodecyl-benzenesulfonic acid, and polyaniline (PAn) chains are doped with 10-camphorsulfonic acid. The coated nanoclusters and doped polymers are soluble in common solvents, and casting the solutions readily gives free-standing nanocomposite films with nanocluster contents as high as ~50 wt %. The γ Fe 2 O 3 /PAn nanocomposites show high conductivity (82–237 S cm -1 ) and magnetizability (up to ~35 emu/g γ Fe 2 O 3 ).