LAUSR

A preparation and characterization of mixtures consisting of conductive polyaniline dispersed in polystyrene (PS) matrix are described. PANI was obtained by interfacial oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of sulfosalicylic acid, giving the protonated form the oxidation state of emeraldine (PANI-SSA). PS was synthesized by emulsion polymerization in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfonic (SDS) as an emulsifier. Three methods were used for the preparation of PANI-SSA/PS mixtures: (1) green in-situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of SSA as a protonating agent and ammonium persulfate ((NH4)2S2O8 as an oxidant (Method I); (2) mixing PS with PANI-SSA dissolved in sulphuric acid at the temperature of 150 °C (Method II); and (3) mixing PS dissolved in dichloromethane (DCM) with PANI-SSA at room temperature (Method III). The prepared mixtures of different PANI-SSA content were characterized by FTIR, TGA, XRD and by electrical conductivity measurements. Mixing at high temperature (Method II) led to the formation of sulfonated polystyrene (PSS) or even three dimensional resins (through cross-linking of PSS) in which highly crystalline PANI particles were dispersed. The nanocomposites PS/PANI were elaborated by green in situ chemical polymerization (Method I) and by mixing with heating in the presence of sulphuric acid (Method II) at room temperature in the presence of dichloromethane at various percentages of PANI (Method III). These realized samples reported a high degradation temperature of PS which confirm that the PANI may even improve an inflammation property of polystyrene. The obtained composites proved a semi-crystalline character with a high level of crystallinity and the electrical properties range between 10–3 and 10–4 S/cm. These concepts are promising for the antistatic domain and charge dissipation domain.