Effect of graphene oxide on features of functionalizable Poly(Butylene fumarate) and functional Poly(Butylene succinate) doped polyaniline

Abstract

A novel material that obtained through combining a biodegradable polymer with a conductive polymer, has been successfully developed by graphene oxide (GO). For the first time, unsaturated poly(butylene fumarate) grafted reduced GO (PBF:RGO) was synthesized via in-situ polymerization method and simultaneous in-situ thermal reduction of GO. It was modified through post-polymerization modification to form sulfonated poly(butylene succinate) grafted reduced GO (PBSS:RGO). Then, PBSS:RGO was incorporated as a polymeric dopant in the synthesis of polyaniline (PANI) to prepare the conductive and anticorrosive compound. Functionalizable PBF and PBF:RGO along with functional PBSS and PBSS:RGO were characterized by 1HNMR. Thermal and crystallization properties of PBF and PBF:RGO were studied using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) with Avrami and Tobin models. Further investigation of crystallinity and dispersion of graphene sheets in the polymer matrix was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD). PBF:RGO exhibits higher thermal stability, higher crystallization rate, and lower crystallinity compared with pristine PBF. Final composites (PANI:PBSS and PANI:RGO:PBSS) were also characterized through Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), contact angle analysis, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and electrical conductivity measurements. PANI:RGO:PBSS indicates a higher conductivity, higher inhibition efficiency and more hydrophilicity than PANI:PBSS.