Electrical resistance and diffusion permeability of microporous polyethylene membranes modified with polypyrrole and polyaniline in solutions of electrolytes

Composite systems based on a microporous polyethylene (PE) membrane modifie d with conducting polymers such as polypyrrole (PPy) and polyaniline (PANI) have been elaborated. Conducting polymers were deposited onto PE membranes in situ during the oxidative polymerization of pyrrole from gas phase or b y the polymerization of aniline in aqueous medium. Composite membranes have a low resistance in electrolyte solutions owing to the coating with conduc ting polymers inside the pores. The dependence of electrical resistance of modified membranes on concentration of hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxid e solutions, in which the conducting polymers are in protonated or non-prot onated states, respectively, was studied using alternating and direct elect ric currents. Diffusion permeability of composite membranes to acid, salt a nd alkali solutions has been also studied. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.