POLYMERIZATION OF ANILINE IN LAYERED HMMOO6-CENTER-DOT-H2O (M = NB, TA)

Layered Bronsted acids, HMMoO6. H2O (M = Nb, Ta) possessing a rutile-r elated structure, readily intercalates aniline giving (C6H5NH3)(x)H1-x MMoO6. H2O (x similar to 0.35). Oxidation of the latter in air at 130 degrees C polymerizes the interlayer aniline to give (PANI)(x)H1-xMMoO 6 nanocomposites (PANI = polyaniline). Characterization of the composi tes by various physical methods reveals that the polymerization is nea r-quantitative, occurring within the galleries of the inorganic host. EPR spectroscopy shows a single resonance at g = 2.003 which is charac teristic of PANI, indicating that the inorganic host does not particip ate in the oxidative polymerization of aniline. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scie nce S.A. All rights reserved.