SYNTHESIS OF HIGHLY CONDUCTING NYLON-6 COMPOSITES AND THEIR ELECTRICAL-PROPERTIES

Highly conducting nylon-6 composites are synthesized by exposing nylon-6 films or fabrics impregnated with an oxidizing agent, cupric chloride, simultaneously to aniline and hydrochloric acid vapors. The conductivity of composite films reaches up to 10(-2) S/cm and can be controlled by varying the experimental conditions for the composite synthesis. The effects of the concentration of cupric chloride, exposure time to aniline and hydrochloric acid vapors, and concentration of hydrochloric acid to the polyaniline content and the conductivity of nylon-6/polyaniline composites are analyzed by means of statistical F test. The morphology change of composite films resulting from the synthesis conditions, conductivity in relation to the morphology, and stability of conductivity to ambient air exposure have been investigated.