Electrical and morphological properties of polyaniline-polyvinyl alcohol in situ nanocomposites

Aqueous suspensions of polyvinyl alcohol-polyaniline (PVA-PAni) nanocomposites were prepared by conventional polymerization of aniline in the presence of a PVA solution mixed with either a surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate) or organic acids (poly acrylic acid or 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) used as binary dopants, to improve the solubility of the nanocomposites. Films were prepared by casting at different contents of PAni (1-60 wt.%). The best homogeneous films were obtained from the surfactant nanocomposites with a low threshold percolation, between 3 wt.% and 5 wt.% of PAni, achieving an electrical conductivity about 0.044 S/cm, attractive as an antistatic material in electronics, since also their mechanical properties are adequate. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.