ELECTROCHEMICALLY OBTAINED INSULATING AND CONDUCTING POLYMERS AND COMPOSITES OF ACRYLONITRILE

Electrochemically obtained polyacrylonitrile and a commercial polyacry lonitrile were heat treated to improve their conductivities. The param eters chosen for heat treatment conditions were the temperature, treat ment medium (vacuum or air) and, doping agent. The conductivity of all heat treated polymers was measured. The characterization of the heat treated polymers was made by IR analysis. The composite films of polya crylonitrile with polypyyrole and polythiophene were electrochemically prepared at different compositions. The change in the conductivity of composites was analyzed as a function of the percent composition of t he insulating component. IR, DSC, TGA and SEM analyses were used to ch aracterize the polymer composites.