Synthesis and Characterization of Polypyrrole/Carbon Nanotubes Composites

Abstract

Composites of polypyrrole with multi-walled carbon nanotubes prepared by CVD method were synthesized by chemical oxidation method using hexahydrated ferric chloride as an oxidant in aqueous solution. The synthesized composites were characterized for their structural, thermal and DC conductivity analysis with fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimeter and four-probe method respectively. The percolation threshold for DC conductivity and thermal stability was 2 % of carbon nanotubes contents in polypyrrole matrix due to better conjugation, homogeneous dispersion and compactness indicated by FT-IR and SEM studies. Combination of polypyrrole and carbon nanotubes also present enhanced thermal properties with the increase of weight percentage of carbon nanotubes in composites.