Synthesis of polyaniline nanotubes through UV light catalytic method

In this study, nitrocellulose (NC) fiber blanket prepared by electrostatic spinning method has been used as a template, and copper nitrate (Cu(NO₃)₂) as an oxidant to synthesise polyaniline nanotubes doped with heteropolyacid (H₄SiW₁₂O₄₀, SiW₁₂) using UV light catalytic method. Infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technologies were applied to characterize the prepared samples of polyaniline nanotubes. The results show that the external diameter of the tube is about 200 nm, and the internal diameter about 170 nm. We also give a reasonable speculation and explanation about the formation mechanism of the nanotubes.