Synthesis and Electroresponse Activity of Porous Polypyrrole/Silica–Titania Core/Shell Nanoparticles

Inverted conducting polymer/metal oxide core/shell structured pPPy/SiO2-TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared as electrorheological (ER) materials using sequential experimental methods. The core was synthesized via the low-temperature self-assembly of PPy and SiO2 materials, and the outer TiO2 shell was easily coated onto the core part using a sol–gel method and a titanium isopropoxide precursor. Sonication-mediated etching and redeposition were employed to etch out SiO2 portions from the core part to blend with TiO2 shells. Each step in nanoparticle synthesis involved morphological and physical changes to the surface area and porosity, with subsequent changes in the intrinsic properties of the materials. Specifically, the electrical conductivity and dielectric properties were successfully altered. The final pPPy/SiO2-TiO2 nanoparticle configuration was optimized for ER applications, offering low electrical conductivity, high dielectric properties, and increased dispersion stability. pPPy/SiO2-TiO2 nanoparticl...