Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies of polypyrrole composite coatings

Pyrrole monomer was dispersed in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinyl acet ate (PVAc) solutions, which were previously mixed with an iron chloride sol ution. The resulting mixtures were coated on substrates, and as the solutio n solvents were evaporated pyrrole was polymerized in the composite coating s. The very low percolation threshold values and the continuous percolation phenomena of the electrical conductivity of these coatings suggest a chain structure of the conductive PPy in the composites and a good miscibility b etween the conductive phase and the insulator hosts as well. FT-IR studies of the coatings suggest molecular interactions between the functional group s of the polymer matrices and PPB through the iron salt molecules, which co uld be the reasons for the good miscibility between the semiconductor and i nsulator components of the composite coatings. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.