H. Morgan et al., The effects of composition and processing variables on the properties of thermoplastic polyaniline blends and composites, J MATER SCI, 36(22), 2001, pp. 5369-5377
Pure polyaniline (PANI) has a high electrical conductivity and can be made
soluble and thermoplastic, but it still lacks adequate mechanical propertie
s for large-scale commercial use and therefore, it has been blended with ot
her polymers such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). In the work describe
d in this paper, the scaled up synthesis of conductive polyaniline by an ox
idative chemical method under controlled pH and temperature has been optimi
sed. Re-doping of deprotonated insulating base with excess of the mono-func
tional organic acids such as p-toluenesulfonic (TSA) or dodecylbenzenesulfo
nic (DBSA) in aqueous media was successful. A wide range of techniques incl
uding TGA, GPC, EA, FTIR, XRD and SEM were employed for the characterisatio
n of PANI powders and blends. Compositions of PANI-HCI, TSA or DBSA and the
rmoplastic matrix PMMA with or without a plasticiser were melt-processed by
compression moulding for 3 min at 210 degreesC to produce plaques. The eff
ectiveness of four different phenolic plasticisers was compared and hydroqu
inone was found to produce the blends with the highest conductivities. A fe
w preliminary injection-moulded plaques were made and their conductivities
were compared with those of the compression-moulded samples. (C) 2001 Kluwe
r Academic Publishers.