ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITIES OF SYNTHESIZED POLY o- PHENYLENEDIAMINE AND ITS NANOCOMPOSITES.

Poly (o-Phenylenediamine) and their metal oxide nanocomposites using different concentrations like 5%, 10% and 15% of SiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization method using ammonium persulphate as an oxidant in the presence of HCl. The formation of polymers and their nanocomposites were confirmed from the UV-Vis and FT ? IR spectroscopy. The formation of Poly (o-Phenylenediamine) nanocomposites were confirmed by the change of polymer colour from red to brown and found to exhibit band at 446nm in UV-visible spectroscopy. The crystalline nature of the synthesized polymers and their nanocomposites were determined from the XRD studies. The SEM images of the polymers recorded at different magnification shows rod like structure and found to change to flake like structures in the polymer nanocomposites synthesized at different concentration of SiO2 nanoparticles. The TEM recorded at different angle confirms the core shell structures. The stability of the synthesized polymer and its nanocomposites were substantiated from thermal studies carried out using TGA, DTA and DSC. The comparative electrical conductivities of the polymer and its nanocomposites shows that the polymer nanocomposites exhibit higher conductivities compared to the polymer and the electrical conductivity was found to be higher for the polymer nanocomposite synthesized with 15% of SiO2. The polymer and its nanocomposites show semiconducting nature.