Structural and electrical properties of paper-polyaniline composite

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Conducting polymers offer valuable physical and chemical properties for industrial applications, especially in packaging.
• A major limitation of conducting polymers is their difficult processing due to intractable film formation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a processable composite material by integrating conducting polymers with paper.
• To combine the versatile properties of paper with the electrical conductivity of polyaniline.

Main Methods:

• Aniline was polymerized directly onto paper sheets using ammonium peroxydisulfate (APS) as an oxidant at various temperatures.
• The resulting paper-conducting polymer composites were characterized using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
• Thermo-oxidative degradation was assessed via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).

Main Results:

• The synthesis successfully created a composite material integrating polyaniline with paper.
• Characterization confirmed the successful incorporation of polyaniline into the paper structure.
• Thermogravimetric analysis provided insights into the thermal stability of the composite.
• Electrical conductivity measurements demonstrated a significant increase compared to the original paper.

Conclusions:

• A novel composite material combining paper and polyaniline was successfully synthesized.
• The composite material exhibits enhanced electrical conductivity compared to the precursor paper.
• This approach offers a viable method for overcoming the processing challenges of conducting polymers.