EFFECT OF PMMA, PS, AND PEO POLYMERS ON PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF POLY (O-TOLUIDINE).TiO₂ NANOCOMPOSITE BLEND

Abstract

The films of Poly O-toluidine. Titanium dioxide (POT.TiO2), mixed with different types of conventional polymers were effectively created via casting method. TiO2 nanoparticles were used as reinforcement in POT blends (POT.TiO2/PMMA, POT.TiO2/PS, and POT.TiO2/PEO) with constant concentration to improve their mechanical and electrical properties. The POT.TiO2 nanocomposites were produced using in-situ chemical oxidative polymerizatione. The morphology, structural characteristics, and functional groups of the produced samples were examined using field-emission scanning electron microscopy FE-SEM, X-ray diffraction XRD, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FTIR. FE-SEM images show that the morphology of POT.TiO2/PMMA and POT.TiO2/PS films is approximately similar; they appear as semi-spherical and spherical protrusions structures. The situation is different in POT.TiO2/PEO, as the morphology has rough and disorganized.  The characteristic peaks in all the samples indicated a polycrystalline structure of the films, also the XRD spectra, indicated that the addition of conventional polymers enhanced the crystallinity state of POT.TiO2. Electrical conductivity was assessed using the two-probe method at room temperature and found the POT.TiO2/PEO film demonstrated the maximum value of electrical conductivity of about 2.81×10−8 S.cm−1. The mechanical properties of the prepared samples were determined by measuring their tensile and hardness. The POT.TiO2/PMMA film had the highest tensile and hardness values. This study looked at what happens when the type of conventional polymer is changed and how that changes the electrical and mechanical properties of POT.TiO2 blends, with the aim of improving the mechanical and electrical properties for polymer films.