Manganese ferrite-polyaniline hybrid materials: Electrical and magnetic properties

Magnetic MnFe2O4 nanopowders were synthesized by an original solvothermal method in the absence and in the presence of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB) and Tween 80 (TW) as surfactants. Manganese ferrite/polyaniline (PANI) hybrid materials were synthesized by in situ polymerization of aniline on the surface of MnFe2O4 using ammonium persulfate as oxidant. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of the two surfactants on the properties of the MnFe2O4 powders and of their composites with PANI. The specific surface area, the cumulative surface area of pores and the cumulative volume of pores are influenced by the nature of surfactant in case of MnFe2O4 powders and are higher by comparison to those of the MnFe2O4/PANI hybrid materials. The values of saturation magnetization in case of MnFe2O4 powders are higher than those of the hybrid materials and are not influenced by the surfactant nature. These features revealed that MnFe2O4 powders can be efficiently used as adsorbents for the purification of wastewaters. The values of the electrical conductivity of the composites exhibit a significant increase in comparison to the MnFe2O4 powders and depend on the surfactant nature. The highest value of electrical conductivity was achieved by the composite obtained using Tween 80 as surfactant (sigma(DC) = 54.5.10(-5)S m(-1)) which was close to that of PANI (sigma(DC) = 61.2.10(-5) S m(-1)). The fact that the magnetic and electric properties of the synthesized MnFe2O4/PANI composites can be changed by design, demonstrate the high potential of these materials to be used in magneto-electric applications.