Electronic Conducting Polymer Composite Films with Enhanced Mechanical Properties

H. N. M. Ekramul Mahmud,^a Anuar Kassim,^a* Zulkarnain Zainal^a and Wan Mahmoo^d Mat Yunus^b

ABSTRACT: An effort has been made to produce polypyrrole-carboxymethylcelllulose (PPY-CMC) conducting polymer composite film on Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) glass electrode from an aqueous solution containing pyrrole monomer, p-toluenesulfonate electrolyte and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) insulating polymer. The conductivity of the prepared composite film was found to increase with the increase in CMC concentration in pyrrole solution. The optical microscopic study showed the influence of CMC concentration in the pyrrole solution on the morphological changes of the prepared film. The dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) on the prepared PPY-CMC film revealed the higher plastic property of the PPY-CMC composite film due to the addition of CMC in the polypyrrole structure. The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness of PPY-CMC film in the frequency range of 8-12 GHz showed a high shielding effectiveness above 41 db, which supported its probable use in various electromagnetic interference shielding applications.

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a Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
b Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

* Corresponding author, E-mail: anuar@fsas.upm.edu.my

Received 14 Jan 2005, Accepted 26 Apr 2005