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a) b - École Polytechnique de Montréal

a) b - École Polytechnique de Montréal

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Table A-4.1. Interfacial Tensions for Polymer Pairs<br />

Theoretical data(Harmonic mean equation) γ (mN/m)<br />

HDPE/PEMA 8.3 PEMA/PANI 10.6<br />

HDPE/PANI 26.9 PS/PANI 15.1<br />

PEMA/PANI 10.6 PS/PEMA 1.3<br />

Ternary polymer blends comprised of HDPE/PEMA/PANI with various compositions of PANI<br />

are prepared. In such samples, the ratios of HDPE and PEMA concentrations are changed while<br />

constant volume fractions of PANI (10%, 20%, and 30%) were selected. Figure A-4.2 shows the<br />

results of resistance for various compositions of HDPE/PEMA/PANI. It is observed that the<br />

binary blend of HDPE and PANI has the highest value of resistance, which is attributed to<br />

droplet-matrix morphology, because of the high interfacial tension between HDPE and PANI. A<br />

percolation threshold of 25% PANI can be <strong>de</strong>tected for this binary blend, as at 25% of PANI, the<br />

value of resistance starts to <strong>de</strong>crease. It is found that addition of PEMA to the HDPE/PANI<br />

binary blend <strong>de</strong>creases the resistance of the blend. It is proposed that the interfacial tension<br />

between PEMA and PANI is low, leading to a reduction in the size of the PANI phases in the<br />

blend. Connection of such small phases of PANI and the presence of large branches of<br />

continuous HDPE in the blend result in the formation of small connected pathways, and<br />

subsequently helps to reduce the total percolation threshold. Consequently, addition of PEMA to<br />

the binary blend reduces both the percolation threshold of PANI and the resistance of the blend<br />

for samples with PANI compositions more than 20%. For concentrations of less than 10% PANI,<br />

due to lack of sufficient PANI to form tclusters, other components and morphology play a major<br />

role in <strong>de</strong>termining the value of resistance.<br />

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