Polyaniline / Carbon Nanotube In Situ Polymerization

The carbon nanotubes (CNTs) being of another new member of C60 family has the unique structure and huge potential value. It is consist of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and mullti-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). The carbon nanometer tubes has extremely high intensity, high aspect ratio, unique one-dimentional nanostructure, and nanometer size and the enormous major axis ratio, which enable it to have the great potential promise of extensive application in various fields such as mechanics, optics, material and chemical et.al. However they tend to agglomerate due to the strong Van der Waals interaction, which significantly limits their application on properties. After purified by mixed acid, the dispersion property of CNTs in the water is improved, which can make it disperse better in the reaction system to enhance the properties of composites.The composite materials of PANI/CNTs are prepared by the in-situ polymerization. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), Fourier transfer spectrum (FTIR) and Raman Spectra are used to observe the micro-morphology of the PANI/CNTs composites and illustrate there is some interface action between PANI and CNTs. The electrical conductivity of the composites is measured by a conventional Four-probe conductivity instrument. The tensile strength, elastic modulus and elongation at break of specimens containing different weight percentage of CNTs are characterized.Through the experiment, we can get the conclution that CNTs can get the better dispersion in water and the degree of the entanglement has decreased greatly after treated by mixed acid, the conductive and mechanical properties of the composite have been improved when polymerizing with CNTs.