Preparation of functional PET fabric/polypyrrole composite

Abstract

Conducting and electromagnetic shielding poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/ polypyrrole (PPy) composites were synthesized by in-situ chemical polymerization of pyrrole in the presence of PET fabrics. The effects of preparation conditions on the characteristics of the composite, such as surface morphology, electrical conductivity and electromagnetic shielding efficiency were studied. The synthesized polymer composites were characterized by surface and volume resistivity, EMI shielding and SEM techniques. The most suitable medium, from the point of view of the lowest electrical volume and surface resistivity, the highest electromagnetic shielding efficiency and resultant the highest PPy content of composite fabric, was observed to be aqueous ferric chloride solution with PTSA, non-oxidizing transient tosylates and the pyrrole concentrations of 0.2 vol. %.