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Vanadium Oxide/Polypyrrole Aerogel Nanocomposites
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
Abstract
Vanadium pentoxide/polypyrrole aerogel (ARG) nanocomposites were prepared by hydrolysis of VO(OC3H7)3 using pyrrole/water/acetone mixtures. Monolithic green-black gels with polypyrrole/V ratios ranging from 0.15 to 1.0 resulted from simultaneous polymerization of the pyrrole and vanadium alkoxide precursors. Supercritical drying yielded high surface (150–200 m2/g) aerogels, of sufficient mechanical integrity to allow them to be cut without fracturing. TEM studies of the aerogels show that they are comprised of fibers similar to that of V2O5 ARG's, but with a much shorter chain length. Evidence from IR that the inorganic and organic components strongly interact leads us to propose that this impedes the vanadium condensation process. The result is ARG's that exhibit decreased electronic conductivity with increasing polymer content. Despite the unexpected deleterious effect of the conductive polymer on the bulk conductivity, at low polymer content, the nanocomposite materials show enhanced electrochemical properties for Li insertion compared to the pristine aerogel.
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- Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996
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