Characterization of polyurethane and polyaniline blends for thermo-mechanical and electro-mechanical properties / I

Abstract

In this study electrical conductivity of organic polymers is enhance by addition of intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs). ICPs are also organic polymers having both optical and electrical properties. Polyaniline is one of the most commonly used ICP due to its ease of processability, good thermal stability and low cost. The major problem and limitation in processing is the intractability of ICPs. There mechanical properties can be improved by using them in blends with elastomers. The blends of polyaniline and thermoplastic polyurethane with different ratios of Pani are investigated for thermo-mechanical and electro-mechanical properties. First of all the blends are prepared by in situ polymerization method. Different ratios of Aniline.DBSA /TPU (20/80, 30/70, 40/60 and 50/50 wt %) are prepared. Once the sheets casted and dried, these are examined for various properties including a) spectroscopic analysis by using Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy b) thermal properties by using thermo gravimetric analysis c) thermo mechanical properties by using dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer and electromechanical properties by using potentiostate. By increasing the amount of aniline.DBSA wt%, the conductivity of the blends increased but on the other hand their mechanical properties are decreased by increasing aniline.DBSA upto certain limit.