Elastic polyaniline with EPDM and dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid as plasticizers

Elastomeric polyaniline was prepared by being mixed with ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) rubber in low concentrations (10, 20, or 30 wt %). The mixture was made in an internal mixer coupled to a torque rheometer. The polyaniline was doped with dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) via reactive processing during the mixing. When the EPDM rubber was added to the polyaniline and DBSA, the doping reaction was not interrupted, as demonstrated by an increase in the torque values. We chose the relative DBSA and EPDM concentrations to obtain the highest conductivities (10(-1) to 10(-3) S cm(-1)) and the best mechanical properties. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.