Ultrasonic-assisted synthesis of polyaniline nanosticks, and heavy metal uptake performance

Polyaniline (PANI) nanosticks with an average diameter of about 40 nm and a length of about 150 nm or longer were successfully synthesized by a facile template-free method in aqueous solution under ultrasonic irradiation. The morphology and structure of the as-prepared PANI nanosticks were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), infrared spectra and UV-vis absorption spectra. The heavy metal uptake performance of the as-prepared PANI nanosticks was determined by using Cu(II) ions as pollute model. It was found that the as-prepared PANI nanosticks could be considered to have potential applications in water treatment for the removal of Cu(II) ions. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.