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Conducting polymer blends of polypyrrole with polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride based toxic gas sensors
Author(s) -
Hosseini S. Hossein,
Entezami Ali A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.12492
Subject(s) - polyvinyl chloride , polymer , materials science , polystyrene , polyvinyl acetate , swelling , polymer chemistry , chemical engineering , thermogravimetric analysis , composite material , engineering
Abstract Blends of the conducting polymer, polypyrrole (PPy), and in the insulating host polymers, polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin, have been prepared chemically. Threshold conductivities occur at about 5% for PPy in blends with host polymers. The characterizations of these blends were done by FTIR, UV‐visible, differential scanning calorimetric (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The products of the blends have electrical conductivity comparable to PPy and mechanical properties similar to hosting polymers. The response mechanism of the conducting blends to a selection of gases and vapors was investigated using two techniques, measurement of conductance and mass changes using a four‐point probe method, and a X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) device, respectively. These responses of blends to toxic gases and vapors are more well explained. Prepared films were exposed to hydrogen halides (HCl, HBr, and HI), hydrogen cyanide, halogens (Cl 2 , Br 2 , and I 2 ), monochloroacetic acid (MCAA), 1‐3‐5 trichloromethyl benzene (TCMB), methylbenzyl bromide (MBB), bromoacetone (BA), and cyanogen bromide (CB). The changes of conductivity of polymers frequently observed are partly due to one stage in the two‐stage sorption, perhaps involving the swelling of the polymer, then diffusion gases into polymer chains. The swelling of polymers is a slow process, therefore, preswelled polymer films tend to decrease the response times of blends with respect to gases. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 49–62, 2003