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<p>The limited photocatalytic efficiency, poor charge separation, and restricted multifunctionality of pristine conducting polymers hinder their application in environmental remediation, energy storage, and sensing technologies. In this work, polyindole (Pin)/ZrO₂/SiC composites with filler loadings of 2–10 wt% were synthesized by an in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization method. The structural, optical, and morphological characteristics were systematically investigated using FTIR, UV–Vis, photoluminescence spectroscopy, FESEM, and EDX analyses. The optical band gap was estimated using Tauc plots derived from UV–Vis absorption spectra. A slight band gap narrowing in the composite compared to pristine Pin confirms improved visible-light absorption and enhanced photocatalytic performance. The photocatalytic performance was evaluated through solar-light-driven degradation of methylene blue, while electrochemical properties were assessed using cyclic voltammetry for supercapacitor applications and linear sweep voltammetry for nitrite sensing. The degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics based on the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model, with higher rate constants observed for composite samples compared to pristine Pin, confirming improved catalytic efficiency. The Pin/ZrO₂/SiC composites exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic efficiency of 86–94% after 360&#xa0;min of irradiation compared to 78% for pristine Pin, along with excellent electrochemical behavior showing a current response up to ± 0.9&#xa0;A at 55 mV s⁻¹ and the ability to power a 5&#xa0;mm red LED. The LED illumination demonstrates real-time energy storage and discharge capability, confirming practical applicability. However, further long-term cycling and device-level testing are recommended for commercialization validation. Furthermore, the nitrite sensor demonstrated high sensitivity of 80.78 µA µM⁻¹ cm⁻² with a low detection limit of 0.11 µM and a quantification limit of 0.22 µM over a linear range of 1–20 µM. These results indicate that the synthesized Pin/ZrO₂/SiC composites are promising multifunctional materials for organic pollutant degradation, high-performance supercapacitors, and sensitive electrochemical nitrite sensing.</p>

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In-situ synthesized polyindole/ZrO₂/SiC composites with enhanced photocatalytic, supercapacitive, and sensing properties

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月27日

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  • Sathish Kumar Shanmugam,
  • A. John Pradeep Ebenezer,
  • Dhanumjaya Karumanchi,
  • Puthalapattu Reddy Prasad,
  • Kallakunta Ravi Kumar,
  • B. G. Sivakumar

摘要

The limited photocatalytic efficiency, poor charge separation, and restricted multifunctionality of pristine conducting polymers hinder their application in environmental remediation, energy storage, and sensing technologies. In this work, polyindole (Pin)/ZrO₂/SiC composites with filler loadings of 2–10 wt% were synthesized by an in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization method. The structural, optical, and morphological characteristics were systematically investigated using FTIR, UV–Vis, photoluminescence spectroscopy, FESEM, and EDX analyses. The optical band gap was estimated using Tauc plots derived from UV–Vis absorption spectra. A slight band gap narrowing in the composite compared to pristine Pin confirms improved visible-light absorption and enhanced photocatalytic performance. The photocatalytic performance was evaluated through solar-light-driven degradation of methylene blue, while electrochemical properties were assessed using cyclic voltammetry for supercapacitor applications and linear sweep voltammetry for nitrite sensing. The degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics based on the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model, with higher rate constants observed for composite samples compared to pristine Pin, confirming improved catalytic efficiency. The Pin/ZrO₂/SiC composites exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic efficiency of 86–94% after 360 min of irradiation compared to 78% for pristine Pin, along with excellent electrochemical behavior showing a current response up to ± 0.9 A at 55 mV s⁻¹ and the ability to power a 5 mm red LED. The LED illumination demonstrates real-time energy storage and discharge capability, confirming practical applicability. However, further long-term cycling and device-level testing are recommended for commercialization validation. Furthermore, the nitrite sensor demonstrated high sensitivity of 80.78 µA µM⁻¹ cm⁻² with a low detection limit of 0.11 µM and a quantification limit of 0.22 µM over a linear range of 1–20 µM. These results indicate that the synthesized Pin/ZrO₂/SiC composites are promising multifunctional materials for organic pollutant degradation, high-performance supercapacitors, and sensitive electrochemical nitrite sensing.