DC field effect on the structuring and thermomechanical and electric properties of nanocomposites formed from pectin-Cu2+-polyethyleneimine ternary polyelectrolyte-metal complexes

With the use of combined structural methods, thermomechanical analysis, and dielectric spectroscopy, the effect of a dc field on the structuring and properties of ternary polyelectrolyte-metal complexes prepared from a stoichiometric polyelectrolyte complex based on the weak polyelectrolytes pectin and polyethyleneimine and CuSO4 salt, as well as nanocomposites formed from these complexes, has been studied. It has been found that the chemical reduction of Cu2+ cations in the bulk of a ternary complex under the action of a dc field occurs via the formation of a nanocomposite consisting of a polyelectrolyte complex and nanoparticles of only the metal Cu phase, whereas nanocomposite with Cu/Cu2O nanoparticles is formed in the absence of field. With the use of thermomechanical analysis and dielectric spectroscopy, it has been shown that, under a dc field, nanocomposites with higher structural glass-transition temperatures and electric conductivities are formed.