Investigation of influence of conductivity on the polyaniline fiber mats, produced via electrospinning

Intrinsically conductive polymers are one very attractive material, because of their good electrical, electrochemical and optical properties, and a wide range of applications. The spinnability of Polyaniline (PANI) solutions is generally insufficient for it to be electrospun directly into fibers, but addition of another polymer to the organic solutions or usage of dopant and solventmay improve it. The aim of the research was: to produce nanofibers of the smallest diameter as possible by using conventional electrospinning setup; to investigate the influence of viscosity and electrical conductivity to the spinnability of PANI solutions; to control the electrical conductivity of prepared solutions and electrospun nanofibers by changing concentrations of chemicals used. The results of investigations made with prepared solutions shave showed, that the viscosity increases and the electrical conductivity is tending to decrease with increase of Polyethylenoxide (PEO) concentration in the spinning solution. In order to achieve greater conductivity, theDimethylformamide (DMF) was added as a dopant. Though the conductivity of solutions was reached high enough, but the loss in viscosity resulted in depriation of greater spinnability of PANI nanofibers. Also itwas noticed, that despite the fact that the electrical conductivity of all solutions was different, the electrical conductivity of fibermats can be divided in two groups: fibermatswithoutDMFand fibermatswith DMF. Themorphological analysis of produced fibermats have showed, that higher PEO concentration resulted in thicker PANI nanofibers-the diameter varied from333 nmtill 4434 nm. The usage ofDMFgave an opportunity to receive almost twice thinner conductive PANI nanofibers with narrower distribution in diameter. Slower flow rate of the electrospinning process resulted in thinner nanofibers as well.