Polyaniline/H2W2O7 (PANI/H2W2O7) composite with a layered structure was prepared indirectly with heptylamine/H2W2O7 (HTT) as the starting material through ion-exchange and O2-initiated polymerization steps. PANI/H2W2O7 composite was characterized via powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis. The results show that PANI has been successfully intercalated into the interlayer space of H2W2O7. Furthermore, PANI/H2W2O7 composite maintains the layered structure, and its interlayer spacing is 1.19 nm. A possible arrangement of intercalated PANI in the gallery of H2W2O7 was proposed and the thermal stability of PANI/H2W2O7 composite was greatly improved. The interaction between inorganic host and organic guest and intercalation mechanism of PANI in PANI/H2W2O7 composite were also discussed.

Key words: layered composite, polyaniline, H2W2O7, intercalation