NBR-PANI.DBSA BLENDS: EFFECT OF ELECTRON BEAM IRRADIATION

Abstract

ABSTRACT The electron beam irradiation technique was successfully used to cross-link poly(butadiene-co-acrylonitrile)-polyaniline dodecylbenzenesulfonate [NBR-PAni.DBSA] blends. Significant increase in cross-linking densities of all blends with doses of irradiation (up to 200 kGy) was observed, and a reasonably high cross-linking density level (in the order of 1030 m−3) also was achieved. All electron beam–irradiated NBR-PAni.DBSA blends exhibited good tensile properties (with tensile strength up to ∼20 MPa), with values that are comparable to those of similar blends cross-linked with either conventional sulfur or peroxide techniques. This kind of irradiation-induced cross-linking technique (at doses up to 200 kGy) also did not interrupt the blends' electrical properties after the blends were sufficiently stabilized for at least 24 h. The irradiated NBR-PAni.DBSA blends also possessed good electrical properties, that is, a single conductivity percolation threshold and high conductivities up to the order of 10−2 S.cm−1. All of these findings indicate a good potential for using the electron beam irradiation technique to prepare highly cross-linked, electrically conductive NBR-PAni.DBSA blends.