Conducting polymer polyaniline (PANI) and its chromium chloride composites are synthesized via chemical oxidative polymerization method. Aniline hydrochloride act as monomer and ammonium persulphate is taken as oxidant for the same. Structural characterization of the pristine polymer and the composites is done by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). SEM investigation of composites shows the formation of clusters which is not observed in PANI. The comparison of FTIR spectra of the virgin and the composites show the shifting in the position of the PANI peaks which confirms the presence of CrCl3 in PANI. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicates that thermal stability of PANI increases in composite form. Moreover, the thermal stability is maximum for 20% loading of PANI by chromium chloride. The various calculated parameters viz. activation energy, frequency exponent, free energy change of decomposition and entropy of activation also confirm the results.

Polyaniline, Chromium chloride, XRD, FTIR, SEM, TGA.