Photoelectrochemical measurements of polyaniline growth in a layered material

摘要

Photoelectrochemistry is based on interfacial electron transfer, where one of the phases is the excited state of a semiconductor. In this work we investigated the photoelectrochemical response of polyaniline intercalated in a layered material. The photoelectrochemical response show cathodic or anodic photocurrents depending on the applied potential, hence on the oxidation state of the polyaniline. Above 0.40 V in the oxidation and reduction processes, polyaniline shows n-type semiconductorcharacteristics and below 0.40 V in the reduction process, its behavior is of a p-type semiconductor. The composite SnP-C/Fe/PAni was obtained as a powder by polymerization of aniline in the interlayer space of the host Tin (IV) 2-carboxyethylphosfonate(SnP-C). The polymerization was done in an acid solution after incorporation of Fe{sup}3+ to the host. X-ray diffraction and conductivity measurements indicated the formation of polyaniline in the interlayer space and cyclic voltammetry measurementsshowed that the product is electroactive.