Composite films based on polyurethane ionomer polypyrrole and their properties

Properties of series of polyurethane/polypyrrole composite films were investigated by d.c. conductivity, dielectric spectroscopy and tensile strength techniques. A dependence of the physical properties of the composite films on the polyurethane structure, the nature of the oxidizing agent and the polypyrrole content was observed comparatively with the untreated polyurethane cationomer films. Insertion of polypyrrole increases the d.c. conductivity with about six magnitude orders. Dielectric relaxation spectra are slightly affected by the oxidizing agent but more influenced by the polypyrrole content. Tensile strength characteristics such as tensile stress and elongation at break decrease by incorporation of the polypyrrole. These effects were attributed to enhanced phase mixing by electrostatic interactions of the polyurethane cationomer with oxidizing agents and polypyrrole.