Synthesis of polypyrrole nanoparticles in natural rubber–polystyrene blend via emulsion polymerization

Nanoparticles of polypyrrole (PPy) in 40/60 wt % natural rubber (NR)–polystyrene (PS) blends were synthesized by emulsion polymerization using ferric sulfate Fe₂ (SO₄)₃], sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and n‐amyl alcohol as the oxidant, surfactant, and cosurfactant, respectively. The NR/PS/PPy blends were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). FESEM micrographs showed that NR/PS/PPy blends were homogeneous, and PPy nanoparticles were well distributed throughout the binary matrix of NR/PS. The size of PPy particles in the blends was in the range of 26–80 nm. The electrical conductivities of the pellets prepared from NR/PS/PPy blends increased as the composition of PPy nanoparticles was increased, which were in the range of 8.9 × 10^?8 – 2.89 × 10^?4 S/cm. Thermal stability of the blends increased as the content of PPy was increased, as shown by TGA thermograms. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012