(584g) Fabrication and Property Characterization of Conductive Polypyrrole-SiC Particulate Nanocomposites

Conducting polymers like polypyrrole have attracted great deal of interest due to their high electrical conductivity, physical and chemical properties, easy preparation and environmental stability. Conductivity of a conductive polymer mainly depends on the dopant with electron donor or acceptor abilities[1]. The material properties such as thermal stability, processability and mechanical strength can be improved by forming polypyrrole nanocomposites [2]. One of the main advantages of these polypyrrole nanocomposites is the electrical conductivity, which can be tuned by using nanoparticls with different loadings for different applications.

Ceramic SiC is a favourable material for high-temperature, high-frequency and high-power applications.

In this project, a conductive polymer nanocomposite containing polypyrrole and SiC nanoparticles is fabricated. The effects of the particle loading and morphology (sphere and rod) of the nanoparticles on the physochemical properties were invetigated. Various characterization tools have been carried out. TGA was used to investigate the thermal stability of the polymer nanocomposties. Four-point probe measurement was carried out and the electron transport mechanism was explored.

1. Z. Guo, K. Shin, A. B. Karki, D. P. Young, Fabrication and characterization of iron oxide nanoparticles filled polypyrrole nanocomposites, Journal of Nanoparticle Research, (2009) in press.

2. M. Omastova, K. Boukerma, M. M. Chehimi, M. Trchova, Material research Bulletin 40 (2005)749-765.

3. E. Martensson, U. Gafvert, J. Phys. D: Appl.Phys. 37(2004) 112.

4. Z. Guo, T.Y. Kim, K. Lei, T. Pereira, J.G. Sugar, H.T. Hahn. Composite science and Technology 68(2008) 164-170.