γ-Zirconium Titanium-Phosphates – Fibrous Cerium Phosphate / Polyaniline, Polyindole, Polycarbazole and Polyimidazole Nanocomposite Membranes

Abstract

Layered nanosized mixed γ-zirconium titanium phosphates and fibrous cerium phosphate, γ-ZrxTi(1-x)..PO4.H2PO4.2H2O (γ-ZTP), Ce(HPO4)2.2.9H2O(nCePf), respectively, (x= 0.95, 0.89), and their [γ-ZrxTi(1-x).PO4. H2PO4]0.3 [Ce(HPO4)2]0.70. 2H2O nanocomposite membranes were prepared and characterized by chemical, x-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform spectroscopy (FT-IR). Novel [γ-ZrxTi(1-x).PO4.H2PO4]0.3[Ce(HPO4)2]0.70 /polyaniline, polyindole, polycarbazole, and polyimidazole nanocomposite membranes were prepared via in-situ chemical oxidation of the monomers aniline, indole, carbazole and imidazole, respectively, that was promoted by the reduction of Ce(IV) ions present on the surface of the inorganic matrix composite. A possible explanation is nCePf occurs at the surface of the composite was attacked by the monomers, respectively, converted to cerium (III) orthophosphate (CePO4). The resultant novel composites were characterized by elemental (C,H,N) analysis and FT-IR. From elemental (C,H,N) analysis the % in weight of the resultant conducting polymers present in [γ-Zr0.95Ti0.05.PO4.H2PO4]0.3 [Ce(HPO4)2]0.70 composite were [ Pani 19.35, PIn 5,72. PCz 5.8, PIm 23.7]%. The % in weight of the conducting polymers in the composite [γ-Zr0.9Ti0.11.PO4.H2PO4]0.3[[Ce(HPO4)2]0.70 were [Pani 8.54, PIn 8.02, PCz 7.72, PIm 22.27]%. The conductivity of the resultant conducting polymers found to be in the range of semiconductors.