Influence of pyrrole feeding ratios on physicochemical characteristics of high-performance multilayered PPy/PVC/PDA@FG-NH2 nanocomposites

Abstract

Nanocomposites of conjugated polymers polypyrrole (PPy) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as matrices and 1,4-phenylenediamine (PDA) as a linker with amine functional graphite (FG-NH2) as filler have been efficiently fabricated using in situ oxidative polymerization, and the effect of various mass ratios on physicochemical characteristics of prepared nanocomposite was investigated. The layer-by-layer oxidative polymerization of various matrices on host filler surface is confirmed by Fourier transform infrared, energy dispersive X-ray, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy examinations. Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed fibrillary morphology of obtained nanocomposites. Thermal stability, glass transition temperature, and melting and crystallization temperature of the nanocomposites were increased with the incorporation of modified graphite. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis explored the improved adsorption capacity (128 cm3 g−1) of the nanocomposite with higher feeding ratio of pyrrole. The influence of FG-NH2 and pyrrole on electrical conductivity performance of composites was also investigated. Functionalized graphite in the resultant PPy/PVC/PDA@FG-NH2 nanocomposites played an important role in forming conducting network in PPy matrix indicating synergistic effect between PPy and FG-NH2.