Gamma Radiation-Induced Synthesis of Polyaniline-Based Nanoparticles/Nanocomposites

This review summarizes the significance of gamma radiation for the synthesis of polyaniline (PANI)-based nanoparticles and nanocomposites for various applications. In many of its applications (anti-corrosive coatings, thermoelectrics, gas sensing, biosensors, etc.), PANI is important because of its conductive nature and ease of synthesis. A variety of techniques, such as chemical, mechanical, and electrochemical methods, have been used for synthesizing PANI nanoparticles by top-down or bottom-up approaches. However, nanoparticles synthesized as a result of gamma radiation treatment produce PANI nanoparticles in their pure form, i.e., without the use of any chemical or catalyst. The solution mixture generates active species (both reducing and oxidizing in nature) by gamma hydrolysis, which plays an important role in the initiation and propagation of the polymerization reaction. In addition to polymerization, gamma irradiation is a useful technique for making various in situ nanocomposites simultaneously in a single pot during radiation treatment.