A mechanical, thermal and electrical properties study of novel vulcanised blends of poly(epichlorohydrin) elastomer with polyaniline dodecylbenzenesulfonate

With good mechanical and thermal properties, elastomers having appreciable electrical conductivity may potentially be developed as smart materials for applications such strain sensors, artificial muscles or flexible biosensors. in mind, the purpose of this study was to investigate structure-properties relationships new vulcanised blends a poly (epichlorohydrin) elastomer (PECH) electrically-conducting polyaniline dodecylbenzenesulfonate salt (PAni.DBSA). PAni.DBSA, synthesised by published method, blended with PECH commercial sulfur cross-linking agent an internal mixer. The morphological, mechanical, properties were examined function amount PAni.DBSA blends. conductivities increased proportion polyaniline, showing low percolation threshold about 1 wt. % (1.07 vol %) (from 10 −12 −10 S cm −1 ), second stage around 5 wt.%, ultimately reaching 3 × −8 . results from microscopy other techniques indicated that mixture micro- nano-sized particles dispersed matrix at compositions above PAni.DBSA. infrared spectra PECH-PAni.DBSA showed features pure polymers, some notable peak shifts due intermolecular interactions between constituents. Thermal conductive investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). stabilities strongly dependent on ratio PECH, two components inhibited decomposition each other. elastomer’s glass transition temperature (T g ) determined thermomechanical (TMA); blend only one transition, temperatures monotonically present, indicating significant degree molecular interaction polymers.