Synthesis and characterisation of electrically conductive polypyrrole-copolymer latex composites: effect of T/sub G/ of the latex particles

Abstract

Summary form only given. We have prepared and characterised a series of polypyrrole-copolymer latex composites by separately chemically polymerising pyrrole in the presence of i) a low Tg (film forming) sulfonated acrylic copolymer latex and ii) a high Tg (non-film forming) sulfonated polystyrene latex. The synthesis and characterisation of the sulfonated polystyrene-polypyrrole composites is in part a re-examinaton of earlier work described by Yasser et al. The mass loading of polypyrrole in the resulting macroscopic precipitates can be easily controlled by varying the initial reactant concentrations. We have compared the results of the two types of conducting polymer-latex composites over a range of polypyrrole mass loadings. These composites have been characterised by a wide range of techniques including elemental microanalyses and FTIR spectroscopy, d.c. conductivity, thermogravimetric analyses, and scanning electron microscopy in order to assess their chemical composition, electroactivity, thermal stability, and morphology respectively.