ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Electrical transport properties of poly(aniline-co-p-phenylenediamine) and its composites with incorporated silver particles

Robert Moucka, Miroslav Mrlik, Marketa Ilcikova, Zdenko Spitalsky, Natalia Kazantseva, Patrycja Bober, and Jaroslav Stejskal

Centre for Polymer Systems, University Institute, Tomáš Baťa University in Zlín, Nad Ovčírnou 3685, 760 01, Zlín, Czech Republic

E-mail: moucka@ft.utb.cz

Abstract: Statistical copolymers of aniline and p-phenylenediamine, poly(aniline-co-p-phenylenediamine)s, were synthesised by oxidative polymerisation using various oxidants, ammonium peroxydisulphate or silver nitrate. Depending on the choice of oxidant, copolymers or composites with silver particles were obtained. Different molar concentrations of p-phenylenediamine in the reaction mixture provided materials of different conductivities. The influence of both the copolymer composition and the presence of discrete silver particles on the electric and dielectric properties of the system was studied. The results showed a decrease in the conductivity of copolymers and their composites with the silver content compared with the content of standard polyaniline salt. The reduction in conductivity was described in terms of the decreased density of hopping centres due to defects in the copolymer structure. The dielectric relaxations observed were described in terms of their activation energies and were linked to the corresponding conduction mechanism.

Keywords: polyaniline – p-phenylenediamine – poly(p-phenylenediamine) – copolymer – silver particles – dielectric properties – conductivity

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-013-0351-7

Chemical Papers 67 (8) 1012–1019 (2013)