Polyaniline-nylon 6 composite nanowires prepared by emulsion polymerization and electrospinning process

Polyaniline (PANT) nanoparticles doped with the dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DBSA) were prepared and these nanoparticles were electrospun with nylon 6 as matrix material into fiber web. Depending on the contents and concentrations of PANT and nylon 6, either nylon 6 nanofibers (similar to 96 nm) or PANI-nylon 6 composite nanofibers (similar to 12 nm) were obtained. The electrical conductivity of PANT(DBSA)-nylon 6 electrospun fiber web was lower than that of PANT(DBSA)-nylon 6 film because of the low crystallinity of the PANT(DBSA)-nylon 6 composite electrospun fiber web. However, it showed that the PANI-nylon 6 composite nanofibers would have applications as the nanowires for connecting the microelectromechanical system (MEMS). (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.