Photosubstituted metal complexes – An entirely new kind of filler for enhanced dielectric properties of polyaniline nanocomposites

Abstract This article reports the effect of different transition metal complexes derived from hexaminecobalt(III) chloride metal complex on the dielectric properties of polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposites. The simple hexaminecobalt(III) chloride metal complex is modified prior to its incorporation into the PANI matrix through photo-substitution route in which some of the amine ligands of the metal complex are photochemically substituted by different organic ligands like 1, 10 phenenthroline, pyrazine, ethylenediamine and imidazole. The filler photo-substituted metal complex containing organic ligands impact the interfacial region between the polymer and filler in such a way, that the effective dielectric constant and ac-conductivity increases in all nanocomposite as compared to pristine PANI. The effect being more pronounced in case of easily polarisable large sized conjugated organic groups.