abstract
Bacterial cellulose/polyaniline (BC/PANi) blends present a great potential for several applications. The current study evaluates the impact of using different BC matrixes (drained, freeze-dried and regenerated) and different synthesis conditions (in situ and ex situ) to improve the inherent properties of BC, which were monitored through FTIR-ATR, EDX, XRD, SEM, AFM, swelling, contact angle measurement and IGC. The employment of in situ polymerization onto drained BC presented the most conductive membrane (1.4 x 10(-1) S/cm). The crystallinity, swelling capacity, surface energy and acid/base behavior of the BC membranes is substantially modified upon PANi incorporation, being dependent on the BC matrix used, being the freeze-dried BC blends the ones with highest crystallinity (up to 54%), swelling capacity (up to 414%) and surface energy (up to 75.0 mJ/m(2)). Hence, this work evidenced that the final properties of the BC/PANi blends are greatly influenced by both the BC matrixes and synthesis methods employed.
keywords
IN-SITU; NANOCOMPOSITES; BIOSYNTHESIS; COMPOSITES; POLYMERS
subject category
Chemistry; Polymer Science
authors
Alonso, E; Faria, M; Mohammadkazemi, F; Resnik, M; Ferreira, A; Cordeiro, N
our authors
Artur Jorge Faria Ferreira
Professor Coordinatoracknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Programa Nacional de Re-equipamento Cientifico, POCI 2010, for sponsoring IGC work (FEDER and Foundation for Science and Technology). Moreover, the help of Tomasia Fernandes and Igor Fernandes (Madeira University) in the laboratory work is appreciated.