Conductive polyaniline-SBS blends prepared in solution

Conducting rubbery blends of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) triblock copol ymer and polyaniline doped with dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) were pro duced from solution. The Pani.DBSA used in these studies was prepared by th e "in situ doping polymerization" which gives rise to material with electri cal conductivity as high as 4 S/cm and a protonation degree of 65%, as indi cated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The flexible and transpare nt, free-standing films obtained by casting displayed low percolation thres hold. Conductivity level close to the pure Pani.DBSA was also achieved by u sing around 20 wt.% of Pani.DBSA in the blends. Solution blends prepared by magnetic stirring display higher conductivity than those obtained by sonic ation. The last method leads to a very dispersed conducting particles, as o bserved by optical microscopy, which contribute for a lower conductivity va lues. The formation of microtubules was observed by scanning electron micro scopy in both Pani.DBSA and their blends with SBS. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scienc e B.V. All rights reserved.