ABSTRACT
Polyaniline/poly(alkyl methacrylate) composites are prepared using an emulsion pathway which involves two steps. First, an emulsion with the appearance of a gel is prepared by dispersing a chloroform solution of poly(alkyl methacrylate) and aniline in an aqueous solution of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS). Secondly, an oxidant (sodium persulfate) dissolved in an aqueous solution of HCl is added dropwise to the emulsion with vigorous stirring in order to polymerize the aniline and to dope the polyaniline formed. The composite precipitates spontaneously or is precipitated by the addition of methanol. The materials have been processed either by cold- or hot-pressing. Those prepared by hot-pressing can have electrical conductivities as high as 2 S/cm and good mechanical properties, while those prepared by cold-pressing have somewhat higher conductivities but somewhat inferior mechanical properties.
