Work function tuning of the individual polyaniline/carbon nanotube nanostructures

Electrostatic force microscopy was used to study the dependence of the electron work function of individual polyaniline/nitrogen doped carbon nanotube (PANI/N-CNT) nanostructures on the duration of synthesis. The work function of nanostructures increases monotonically with the synthesis time increasing. These changes are interpreted as a result of the growth of the polymer layer thickness on CNTs and an increase in the degree of protonation of PANI during the synthesis of PANI/N-CNTs composite. (paper)