Effect of phosphoric acid molarity on the structural, thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of polyimide/polyaniline nanocomposites

Abstract

In this paper, we used two monomers, 3,3',4,4'-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and m,m'-diaminobenzophenone (m, m’-DABP), to produce polyamide acid and then converted it to polyimide (PI). The effects of phosphoric acid (H3PO4) molarity (1, 2, and 3 M) on the structural, thermal, mechanical, and electrical characteristics of the polyimides/polyaniline (PI/PANI) nanocomposites were studied. Two sharp reflection peaks were developed by the addition of PANI to PI. When 3 M H3PO4 is added, the crystalline sharp peak loses some of its intensity. The complex formation of PI/PANI-H3PO4 was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies. The surface morphologies of the H3PO4 complex with nanocomposites were investigated by using a scanning electron microscope. From differential scanning calorimetry studies, the glass transition temperatures of nanocomposites decrease dramatically with an increase in H3PO4. Microhardness, flexural strength, and young modulus all dropped as acid molarity increased, although elongation at break increased as H3PO4 molarity increased. After the addition of H3PO4, a drop in the dielectric constant and an increase in ionic conductivity were observed.