PROCESSING OF CONDUCTIVE POLYANILINE-UHMW POLYETHYLENE BLENDS FROM SOLUTIONS IN NONPOLAR-SOLVENTS

Polyblend fibers of polyaniline (PANI) and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) were prepared by solution blending PANI and UHMW-PE in decahydronaphthalene and gel processing the resulting blend. The use of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid as a counter-ion for emeraldine base allowed PANI to be solubilized into non polar solvents and to be blended homogeneously into solutions of UHMW-PE and decaline. Fibers were produced with various ratios of PANI to UHMW-PE resulting in materials with excellent mechanical properties as well as good levels of electrical conductivities. The modulus of the fibers ranged from 40 to 0.5 GPa, the tenacity from 2 to 0.02 GPa, and conductivity from 10(-12) to 110 S/cm with increasing concentration of polyaniline.