Effect of Clay Loading in the Morphology and Electrical Conductivity of Polyaniline-Clay/Elastomer Semiconductors

Polyaniline (PAni) has ranked as one the most studied conducting polymers due to its outstanding combination of chemical nature, high electrical conductivity, environmental stability, harmlessness, ease of preparation and low cost. These attributes have positioned PAni in a wide range of applications such as rechargeable batteries, EMI shielding, microwave absorption, capacitors, electrochromic devices, electromechanical actuators, anticorrosion coatings and sensors[1]. Also, PAni has been considered as a viable alternative to replace metals as electrically conductive fillers in the production of semiconducting elastomers [2]. However, the main drawback of PAni lies in its lack of solubility and processability [3].