Fabrication and characterization of poly(butyl acrylate-co-methyl methacrylate)-polypyrrole nanofibers

Abstract

In the present work, poly(buty acrylate-co-methyl methacrylate)/polypyrrole P(BA-co-MMA)/PPy nanofibers were produced by using electrospinning method. FTIR–ATR measurements indicated the presence of PPy in the composite nanofiber structure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the diameter of nanofibers was dependent on PPy content and the fiber diameter was decreased with increasing initial pyrrole concentration. A relation between contact angle and diameter of nanofibers which is related with PPy content was observed. P(BA-co-MMA)/PPy4 which has the highest amount of PPy, exhibited the smallest fiber diameter and the highest contact angle. Mechanical properties of P(BA-co-MMA)/PPy became poor compared to P(BA-co-MMA). By the increase of PPy content in the nanofibers, increase in the alternating current (AC) conductivities was observed. In addition, the AC conductivity of nanofibers was increased with frequency, particularly in the higher frequency region.