Electrospun porous conductive polymer membranes

Abstract

In this work, two methodologies were used in fabricating conductive electrospun polymer fibers with nano features. We first investigated the addition of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as conductive fillers at concentrations ranging from 1 to 10% into a polystyrene (PS) matrix. Electrospinning conditions were tailored to produce fibers with minimal beads. Next, we investigated the effects of coating electrospun fibers with nano structured conductive polymer. Oxidant (FeCl₃) fibers were electrospun in PS and then exposed to a pyrrole (Py) monomer in a vacuum chamber. As a result, polypyrrole (PPy) was coated on the fibers creating conductive pathways. In both methods, the electrospun conductive fibers were characterized in terms of their morphologies, thermal stability and electrical conductivity. Strong correlations were found among PPy coating nanostructures, oxidant concentration and polymerization time. Electrospun fibrous membranes with conductive polymer coating exhibit much higher electrical conductivities compare to fibers with conductive fillers. Highest conductivity achieved was 9.5E-4 S/cm with 40% FeCl₃/PS fibers polymerized with Py for 140 min.