Electrically conductive membrane based on epoxidized natural rubber graft polyaniline nanomatrix

Abstract

In this study, electrically conductive membrane based on natural rubber was prepared through graft copolymerization of aniline on natural rubber, and epoxidation in latex stage. The structural characterization of the resulting material through NMR spectroscopy confirmed that polyaniline and epoxy group were successfully introduced to natural rubber chain. The polyaniline nanomatrix formed in materials was confirmed through TEM observation. The thermal properties, mechanical properties, electrical conductivity of the resulting material, i.e., epoxidized deproteinized natural rubber grafted polyaniline (EDPNR-g-PAni), were investigated in comparison with those of raw natural rubber. The obtained results indicated that tensile strength and thermal resistance of EDPNR-g-PAni were higher than that of the raw material. The electrical conductivity of EDPNR-g-PAni was 6.86×10⁻⁴ S/cm, which was remarkably improved. This result was attributed to the synergistic effect of polyaniline nanomatrix and epoxy group in natural rubber.