Quantification of MWCNTs incorporated into PBTh matrix composite obtained by electrochemical polymerization and their effect on the conductive properties and structure

Abstract

This paper describes the use of elemental combustion analysis for the simple quantification of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT’s) inside a composite of polybithiophene (PBTh) matrix obtained by electrochemical polymerization. The obtained percentage in weight of MWCNT’s inside PBTh composites prepared was found between 15 % and 32 % depending on the different electropolymerization scan rates and CNTs proportion present at the polymerization solution. PBTh and PBTh/MWCNT composite properties were evaluated by in-situ electrochemical conductance method. The presence of the MWCNT’s causes a decrease in the hysteresis value (ΔEG ≈ 100 mV), and a faster charge exchange mainly in the charged-discharged transition, improving the conducting and electron transfer properties. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis let to distinguish unambiguously the presence of CNT’s and in the composite a nano fibrous structure was observed, which may explain the improvement of the electrochemical properties.