Composites of polypyrrole and carbon black: Part III. Chemical synthesis and characterization

A new class of molecular composites of carbon black and an electronically conducting polymer, namely polypyrrole, has been synthesized by chemically polymerizing pyrrole in an aqueous dispersion of carbon black. The carbon black content of these composites can be varied from ∼5% to ∼85% (by weight). The surface area and density of these composites were compared to corresponding mixtures of carbon black and polypyrrole. The influence of carbon black on the efficiency of polymerization of pyrrole is described. The effect of carbon black content on the electronic conductivity of the composite has been mapped, and compared with the corresponding behavior of a mixture of carbon black and polyvinylchloride. The influence of the parent black characteristics (porosity, void volume, surface area) on the electronic conductivity of the resultant composite has been probed by comparing the behavior of composites derived from six commercial and experimental blacks. The temperature dependence of the composites has been studied as a function of the carbon black content. Finally, the application of these new materials is an environmental remediation scenario is demonstrated for Cr(vi) as a model pollutant.