Comparative study on poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene)/TiO2 nanocomposites synthesized by mechanochemical and chemical solution methods

The poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene)/TiO 2 nanocomposites (PProDOT/TiO 2 ) were synthesized by using mechanochemical solvent free and common chemical solution method. The structure and physicochemical properties of the PProDOT/TiO 2 nanocomposites were compared with that of pure PProDOT. The results of FTIR and UV–vis spectra showed that the PProDOT/TiO 2 nanocomposites and pure PProDOT prepared by mechanochemical method displayed higher oxidation degree and conjugation length than the samples prepared by chemical method. The XRD and morphological analysis indicated that the TiO 2 had no effect on the crystallinity of PProDOT from both methods, and the TiO 2 well embedded in polymer matrix. Moreover, the results of the electrochemical performances showed that the PProDOT/TiO 2 nanocomposites and pure PProDOT synthesized by mechanochemical method had higher electrochemical activity than the samples from chemical method. The highest specific capacitance of 219   Fg −1 is obtained in the case of the mechanochemically synthesized PProDOT/TiO 2 nanocomposites.