Frequency dependence of AC conductivity and dielectric properties evaluation of in-situ prepared polyaniline/manganese dioxide composite

In the present study, polyaniline/manganese dioxide (PANI/MnO2) nanocomposite has been synthesised by in-situ redox method. MnO2 nanostructures are formed in PANI matrix via simple redox reaction between KMnO4 and aniline monomer at ambient conditions. The composite formation, structural and morphological changes in MnO2 and PANI/MnO2 were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The PXRD and FT-IR patterns of the PANI/MnO2 nanocomposites confirm the presence of ⍺-MnO2 nanostructures in polymer matrix. SEM images of the composite showed that MnO2 nanostructures were dispersed uniformly in polymer matrix. AC conductivity and dielectric properties of MnO2 nanostructures and PANI/MnO2 nano composite were studied in the frequency range 10–100 MHz. AC conductivity of the nano composite obeyed the power law indicating the universal behaviour of disordered structures.