Phase-separated, conducting composites from polyaniline and benzobisthiazole rigid-rod polymer

✍ Scribed by Loon-Seng Tan; Sharon R. Simko; Shih Jung Bai; Richard A. Vaia; Barney E. Taylor; Marlene D. Houtz; Max D. Alexander Jr.; Robert J. Spry

• Book ID: 105337571
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 360 KB
• Volume: 39
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0887-6266
• DOI: 10.1002/polb.1224

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

As an alternative method for processing polyaniline (PANI) from its conducting (protonated) state, vacuum casting of PANI from a methanesulfonic acid (MSA) solution provided films with electrical conductivity values of about 130–150 S/cm. In addition, we similarly prepared blended films of PANI · MSA and poly(p‐phenylene benzobisthiazole) (PBZT). This process eliminated the need for a subsequent protonation step and had the additional advantage that the conjugated PBZT may provide alternative conducting pathways. Conductivity values of the composite films ranged from 100 pS/cm to 124 S/cm, and the films displayed critical concentration behavior with a PANI threshold concentration of 2.75% and a critical exponent of 4. Transmission electron micrographs displayed phase‐separated regions with PANI forming a continuous network at high concentrations. Thermogravimetric analysis results demonstrated the thermal and thermooxidative stability advantage of the blends due to the PBZT component. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2539–2548, 2001