CONDUCTING BLENDS OF POLYANILINE WITH CONVENTIONAL POLYMERS

Phosphoric acid diesters effectively protonate polyaniline and simulta neously plasticize it. This plasticized polyaniline can be processed e ither by thermal methods or from solution. It can serve, therefore, as a conducting additive to common polymers, such as poly(vinyl chloride ), polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate) and cellulose derivatives. I n each case only few wt. % of polyaniline is needed to render a conduc tive blend. Microprobe studies and scanning electron microscopy show u niform distribution of polyaniline/diester in the polymer matrix. The conductivity of the blends ranges between 10(-2) and 10 S/cm, and the mechanical properties are those of the nonconducting matrix. Thermally processcible blends of PVC, having very good mechanical properties, w ere prepared by mechanical mixing with plasticized polyaniline, while those of PMMA, PS or cellulose derivatives were cast from solutions.