Poly(acrylic acid)-guided synthesis of helical polyaniline/CdS composite microwires

Polyaniline (PANI) composite microwires containing CdS nanoparticles were synthesized guided by poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). It was found that the morphology of the composite microwires was affected by the concentration of PAA. When the concentration of PAA was lower than 0.1 mg ml −1 , the PANI/CdS composite was wires. However, no wire-like structures of PANI/CdS composites were formed when the concentration of PAA was higher than 1.0 mg ml −1 . The complex of CdS nanoparticles with PANI matrix was affected by the molar ratio of CdS to aniline. When the molar ratio was 1:75, CdS nanoparticles were well combined with PANI matrix. However, when the molar ratio was 1:150, no CdS nanoparticles were combined with PANI wires. SEM, TEM, FTIR and XRD characterized the PANI/CdS composite microwires and proved that the CdS nanoparticles are combined with the PANI matrix in some conditions, and TEM proved that some of the microwires are in fact of helical shape. The photoluminescence of CdS is slightly affected by its combination with the PANI matrix.