Preparation and modification of polythiophene-organic montmorillonite composite

Abstract

Polythiophene-organic montmorillonite (PTP-OMMT) composites were prepared via Fe3+-H2O2 catalytic oxidation system at room temperature in water (medium) within the presence of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate. The PTP-OMMT composite made from 2 g/ml solution of OMMT/TP with reacting for 12 h shown the highest conductivity (3.44 × 10−5 S/cm). The prepared PTP-OMMT was modified with aniline (ANI) and pyrrole (PY) under Fe3+-H2O2 and ammonium persulfate (APS) oxidation systems. The conductivity of PANI-(PTP-OMMT) and PPY-(PTP-OMMT) reached the range from 10−2 S/cm to 10−1 S/cm, showing a growth of 103 to 104 times. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that thiophene enter into OMMT to form intercalation compounding, which undamaged after ANI and PY modification. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) comfirmed the improved thermostability of PTP-OMMT and the decreased thermostability of modified materials. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that modified materials under Fe3+-H2O2 oxidation system presented regular spherical structures. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:2503–2510, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers