Conductivity and Crystallinity of Polyethylene Oxide/Polyaniline Microfibers Obtained by Electrospinning

Abstract

In this paper we present results concerning the processing and characterization of polyaniline microfibers obtained bythe electrospinning technique. The electrospinning technique is used to produce micro and nano fibers, this techniqueuses an electric field to stretch the jet of the polymer and thus produce fibers, which are deposited on a collectingplate. The continuous fibers production will form some like a membrane. The fibers provide a large surface area dueto their small diameter, therefore, interesting commercial and scientific application could be considered. In this study,fibers from a solution made of polyethylene oxide and polyaniline were obtained. Chloroform was used as solvents forthese polymers. The fibers obtained were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction andelectrical conductivity. These results indicate that the diameters of the composite fibers are on the micrometric range,the conductivity thereof is that of a semiconductor material and the degree of crystallinity corresponds to a semicrystallinematerial.