Self-assembly directed synthesis of poly(ortho-toluidine)-metal(gold and palladium) composite nanospheres.

Poly(ortho-toluidine) (POT)-gold (Au) and palladium (Pd) composite nanospheres were successfully synthesized by the reaction of o-toluidine with the corresponding metal (Au or Pd) colloidal solution through self-assembly process in the presence of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA), which acts as both a dopant and surfactant, and ammonium peroxydisulfate as an oxidizing agent. The composites (POT-DBSA/Au or Pd) were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and electrical conductivity measurements. TEM images of the nanocomposites reveal that metal (Au or Pd) nanoparticles were well dispersed on POT spheres.