NBR / Polypyrrole-montmorillonite: synthesis, processing and characterization

Abstract

Conductive materials based on intrinsic conducting polymers (CP) and elastomers (EL) have attracted much attention due to electrical and mechanical properties presented. These elastomers have several applications such as electromagnetic interference radiation, static dissipation and pressure sensors. The low density of the CP combining with the possibility of modeling the electrical conductivity are the main motivations of using CP as a polymer filler. The addition of CP to elastomers can also be optimized if a nanometric particles is used that facilitate the dispersion and interaction between components. Thus, the addition of hybrid polymer-based conductors based on CP and lamellar inorganic matrices (clay minerals) to elastomers can be an approach to achieve materials with improved electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. The objective of this work is to analyze the mechanical and electrical properties of conductive hybrid elastomer based on polypyrrole, montmorillonite clay (MMT) and nitrile rubber (NBR) prepared by mechanical mixing. First a composite based on PPy and MMT will be prepared follow by addition in NBR by mechanical mixing in the mixing chamber of the rheometer Haake. This mixture is vulcanized, and the vulcanization system will be the object of study. The materials will be characterized thermal, structural, mechanical and morphological and electrical conductivity. Also, pressure sensitivity measurements will be performed to evaluate the potentiality of the material as a pressure sensor. (AU)