Polyurethane-polyaniline conducting graft copolymer with improved mechanical properties

The crosslinking effects on the mechanical and electrical properties of a conducting copolymer obtained by grafting polyaniline on a carboxylated polyurethane were investigated. The synthesis and characterization of the polyurethane-polyaniline copolymer (PEUAPAN) were previously reported. The crosslinking process was carried out by reacting ethylenediamine with those polyurethane residual carboxylic groups not involved in the amide binding to the conducting chains. The insoluble material obtained (PEUAPANc) shows a marked elastomeric feature, as evidenced in stress-strain and stress-relaxation measurements. Although the crosslinked graft copolymer conductivity is lower than that of the pristine material, its variation during deformation cycles is reversible because the chain relaxation and viscous flow phenomena are drastically suppressed by the crosslinks. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.