Effects of polyaniline loading and naphthalene surface modifier on properties of conductive polyethylene oxide/polyvinyl chloride/polyaniline films

The conductive polyethylene oxide/polyvinyl chloride/polyaniline (PEO/PVC/PAni) films were studied in terms of filler loading and the naphthalene effect. The films were fabricated via solution casting using tetrahydrofuran as the solvent at room temperature. The analyses of tensile properties, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrical conductivity, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis were done on conductive PEO/PVC/PAni films. It is noticeable that the conductive PEO/PVC/PAni/naphthalene films exhibited an average of 10% tensile strength higher and an average of 14% Young's modulus higher compared to the conductive PEO/PVC/PAni films. The presence of naphthalene in the conductive films also improved the electrical conductivity while increasing the films' thermal stability. SEM analysis confirmed that naphthalene in conductive films offers better dispersion of PAni in the conductive PEO/PVC/PAni films. FTIR analysis has further proved that no new functional group was created with the presence of naphthalene. It showed that naphthalene only influence the filler–matrix interfacial adhesion physically. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 24:E186–E193, 2018. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers.