Towards High-Performance MoO3–Polymer Hybrids: Correlating Structure, Morphology, and Thermal Stability
摘要
This work reports the synthesis and comprehensive characterization of HCl-doped poly(3-bromoaniline)/MoO3, polypyrrole/MoO3, and poly(3-bromoaniline-co-pyrrole)/MoO3 nanocomposites prepared via chemical oxidative in situ polymerization to enhance thermal stability and morphological properties. Structural investigations by FTIR and UV–Vis spectroscopy confirmed successful doping and chemical interactions between the polymers and MoO3. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis verified the preservation of the orthorhombic α-MoO3 crystalline phase across all composites, with peak broadening indicative of polymer-induced lattice strain and reduced crystallite size due to acid treatment and polymer embedding. Morphological examination using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed exfoliated MoO3 nanobelts uniformly dispersed within hierarchically porous polymer matrices, promoting increased surface area and ion accessibility. Thermal analyses via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) demonstrated enhanced thermal stability and distinct degradation behaviors relative to pristine polymers, attributed to robust polymer–inorganic interfacial interactions that enhance composite stability. These findings suggest that the hybrid nanocomposites, combining enhanced thermal robustness and tunable morphology, are promising for energy storage devices, electrochemical sensors, and thermally stable conductive coatings.