Microporous conducting carbonized polyaniline nanorods: Synthesis, characterization and electrocatalytic properties

Abstract

Microporous conducting nitrogen-containing nanostructured carbon with excellent catalytic activity for the electrochemical synthesis of hydrogen peroxide was synthesized by the carbonization of self-assembled polyaniline 3,5-dinitrosalicylate nanorods. Carbonization was carried out by means of gradual heating in a nitrogen atmosphere up to 800°C. Carbonized polyaniline nanorods containing 9.8 wt.% of nitrogen had a conductivity of 0.35 S cm -1. The electrical characteristics, morphology, textural parameters, elemental composition, molecular structure and crystallinity of novel carbonized nanostructured polyaniline were investigated by conductivity measurements, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements, elemental microanalysis, XPS, FTIR and Raman spectroscopies, and XRD, respectively. The electrocatalytic activity of carbonized polyaniline nanorods towards oxygen reduction in alkaline conditions has been studied by the voltammetry with the rotating disk electrode. © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.