A conducting composite of polypyrrole with ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene foam

Aydinli B., Toppare L., Tincer T.

JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, vol.72, no.14, pp.1843-1850, 1999 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 72 Issue: 14
  • Publication Date: 1999
  • Doi Number: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4628(19990628)72:14<1843::aid-app6>3.3.co;2-c
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.1843-1850
  • Keywords: polypyrrole, foam ultrahigh molecular weight PE, conductive composite, POLYMER COMPOSITES, ALLOY-FILMS, BLENDS, PYRROLE, ROUTE
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Through a chemical polymerization of pyrrole inside ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) foam, a conducting polymer composite was obtained. To produce conductive polymer foams, successive imbibiting of reactives, FeCl3 and pyrrole in tetrahydrofuran solutions, were carried out. The conductive polymeric materials were characterized by FTIR, DSC, and SEM. Mechanical property measurements were carried out on the films prepared by the compression molding of the conductive foam polymers. These films showed rather high tensile strength compared to pure UHMWPE. Conductivity determined by a two-probe technique showed that it increased with the pyrrole content in the UHMWPE foam matrix. The compression molding, however, resulted in a considerable reduction in the conductivities. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 1843-1850, 1999.