Nanostructured polyaniline-polytitanate-clay composite for photocatalytic applications: preparation and properties

Nanostructured polyaniline-polytitanate-clay composite (PPTC) was prepared by the polymerization of anilinium hydrochloride in a dispersion of polytitanate functionalized clay at room temperature. Modified clay-polytitanate adsorbs anilinium ions by ion-dipole interactions and will act as a template. During polymerisation, polyaniline forms linkages between these disorganized titanate modified clay layers and may co-structure with the self-assembled polyaniline layers. They then roll up to form three dimensionally ordered nanotubes by a self-assembly process which was confirmed by morphological analysis, EDS and XRD. The photocatalytic efficiency of this PPTC was demonstrated by performing the photodegradation studies of methylene blue and methyl orange at room temperature under natural light irradiation. Studies revealed that this novel PPTC nanocomposite can be used as a prospective candidate for the disposal of pollutants present in the environment.