Synthesis, characterization, and colloidal properties of polythiophene/borax conducting composite

✍ Scribed by O. Yunus Gumus; H. Ibrahim Unal; Ozlem Erol; Bekir Sari

• Publisher: Society for Plastic Engineers
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 580 KB
• Volume: 32
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0272-8397
• DOI: 10.1002/pc.21057

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

In this study, synthesis of polythiophene (PT) and polythiophene/borax pentahydrate (PT/borax) conducting composite were carried out by in‐situ oxidative polymerization. The composite was subjected to various characterization techniques namely: FTIR, particle size, magnetic susceptibility, density, conductivity, dielectric, TGA, XRD, SEM, and zeta (ζ)‐potential measurements. The effects of time, pH, various surfactants, electrolytes and temperature on the ζ‐potential of PT and PT/borax composite were investigated. In a basic medium the ζ‐potential of the composite was observed to decrease up to ζ = −66.5 mV. The most effective surfactant on the ζ‐potential of the composite was sodium dodecyl sulfate, which reduced the value of ζ‐potential to ζ = −39.2 mV. It was concluded that the presence of mono‐valent (NaCl) salt has no impact on ζ‐potential whereas, di‐valent (BaCl~2~) salt shifted the ζ‐potential value to more positive regions. Elevated temperatures caused almost no change on the ζ‐potential of the composite. Also an electrorheological effect (a tremendous viscosity increase) was determined from the PT/borax colloidal systems under an externally applied electric field, and the results obtained will be discussed in the forthcoming article. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers