Polyaniline–polypropylene melt‐spun fiber filaments: The collaborative effects of blending conditions and fiber draw ratios on the electrical properties of fiber filaments

Abstract

A melt-processable polyaniline complex was blended with polypropylene under different mixing conditions and melt-spun into fiber filaments under different draw ratios. The conductivity, electrical resistance at different voltages, and morphological characteristics of the prepared fibers were investigated. The morphology of this two-phase blend was demonstrated to have a large effect on the conductivity level and the linearity of the resistance-voltage relationship of the blend fibers. Two factors had substantial effects on the morphology and electrical properties of the fibers. They were the size of the initial dispersed conductive phase, which depended on the melt blending conditions, and the stress applied to orient this phase to a fibril-like morphology, which was controlled by the draw ratio of the fiber. The two factors were shown to be associated with each other to maintain an appropriate balance of fibril formation and breakage and to create continuous conductive pathways.

Electroconductive polyblend fibers of polyamide‐6/polypropylene/polyaniline: Electrical, morphological, and mechanical characteristics

“…According to our previous studies [21, 22] in binary blends of PP/P.CXL with dispersed conductive phase morphology, the maximum conductivity is observed in fibers that are extruded at a draw ratio at which the formation of conductive fibrils exceeds the breakage of fibrils, so that a continuous, conductive network is created. The maximum formation of fibrils for the P20 binary blend is observed at the lowest draw ratio of 2, because the fibrils are made of “small droplets” and increasing the draw ratio decreases the conductivity due to increased breakage of fibrils [21, 22]. Considering the above results for binary fibers, it can be concluded that the maximum formation of conductive fibrils in the PA20 ternary blend occurs at the high draw ratio of 5.…”

“…Melt‐spun binary fibers of polypropylene and a commercial polyaniline‐complex (Panipol) have been prepared and have achieved a conductivity of up to 10 −3 and 10 −4 S cm −1 [20, 21]. The morphology of the two‐phase blend fibers [20, 21], the influence of the polymer matrix viscosity on the fiber properties [22], and the effect of adding carbon nanotubes to the blend [23] have been studied. There has been no study to date on a ternary blend fiber using polyaniline.…”

Morphology Development of Polymer Blend Fibers along Spinning Line

“…The melting and mixing process can generate morphologies ranging from dispersed drops to fibers to lamella to co-continuous structures [33], see Figure 2. The initial morphology of immiscible polymer blend fibers is usually represented as a droplet-matrix or fibril-matrix morphology [31,32,[34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52]. The strategy to produce lamellae and other morphologies is more difficult than that required for the droplet-matrix morphology since the interfacial tension tends to minimize the surface of the second phase [7].…”

Structure evolution and orientation mechanism of isotactic polypropylene during the two‐stage solid die drawing process

“…But in the direction perpendicular to the orientation, the performance including the impact strength, elongation, and other mechanical properties correspondingly reduces. Effects of orientation can not only reflect through the changes of mechanical performance but also in changes of the optical and electromagnetic properties of the blends with additives …”