Effects of cobalt and potassium doping on thermal stability and electrical properties of radiation grafted acrylic acid onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene ethylene) copolymer films

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 97; no. 3; pp. 867 - 871
• Main Authors: Ashour, Ahmed H., El-Sawy, Naeem M., Ghaffar, Mahmoud A. Abdel, El-Shobaky, Gamil A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 05-08-2005; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; electrical conductivity; Exact sciences and technology; grafting; mobility; modification; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymers and radiations; Properties and characterization; thermal stability; Acrylic acid copolymer; Radiochemical grafting; mobility; Electrical conductivity; Graft copolymer; Electrical properties; Tetrafluoroethylene polymer; Doping; grafting; Experimental study; Property processing relationship; Potassium Ions; modification; Thermal stability; Polyelectrolyte; Thermal properties; Tetrafluoroethylene copolymer; Gamma radiation; Cobalt II Ions; Doped polymer; Activation energy; Thermal degradation
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628; 1097-4682
• DOI: 10.1002/app.20740

Grafted copolymer of poly(tetrafluoroethylene ethylene) (ET) with acrylic acid (AAc) was prepared by direct radiation method. The obtained films were modified by treating with small amounts of Co2+ and K+ ions (1.0 wt %). The effects of such treatment on the thermal stability and electrical conductivity of these films were studied. Cobalt treatment did not much affect the thermal degradation of the films. The results obtained revealed that k+ treatment enhanced the thermal degradation of ET‐g‐PAAc, which started 273 K lower than that observed in the case of the untreated and Co2+‐treated films. Potassium and cobalt treatment of the investigated films increased their electrical conductivity (σ) and decreased the activation energy ΔEσ. The increase in σ values was, however, more pronounced in the case of K+‐treated film. These results were discussed in terms of the effective increase in the hydrophilicity of the films, especially those treated with potassium. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 867–871, 2005