Polyaniline Hybrid with Inverse Opal Structure for Fabrication of Thermoelectric Materials

Abstract

The colloidal crystal template or opal with a closed-packed face centered cubic (fcc) lattice was prepared from monodisperse polystyrene (PS) microspheres by gravity sedimentation, and it was used for the fabrication of polyaniline hybrid with inverse opal structure. The template provided void space for the infiltration of Bi2Te3 and monomer that was then in situ polymerized to polyaniline. The opal composite was then soaked in toluene for completely removing PS microspheres to form porous polyaniline hybrid with inverse opal structure. The PS microspheres were replaced by air microspheres, which interconnected each other through the windows on the polyaniline hybrid wall. Both the wall and the air void constitute continuous phases. The polyaniline hybrid with inverse opal structure was observed with scanning electronic microscopy.