MODIFICATION IN OPTICAL AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) ON BLENDING WITH POLYANILINE

Abstract

The chemically synthesized Polyaniline (PAni) was characterized through UV-Visible spectroscopy. The appearance of intense peak due to polarons at around 830 nm in electronic absorption spectrum signifies its conducting nature. Characteristics of PMMA–PAni blends with different concentration (by wt) of as-synthesized PAni, prepared via solution casting method, were studied using SEM, UV-Visible spectroscopy and current–voltage (I–V) measurements. Reduction in optical band gap value of PMMA from 3.06 eV to 2.16 eV and about 7 orders of increase in conductivity were observed in PMMA–PAni blend (10% by wt of PAni). Further, investigations of I–V curves suggest the Ohmic conduction in lower voltage region and space-charge limited current (SCLC) as the dominating conduction mechanism at higher voltages (i.e., above 60 V), in both pure PMMA and blended films.