Conducting hydrogels based on semi-interpenetrating networks of polyaniline in poly(acrylamide-co-itaconic acid) matrix: synthesis and characterization

In this work, acrylamide/itaconic acid copolymeric hydrogels are prepared by free radical polymerization initiated by redox initiators of potassium persulfate and N,N,N,N-tetramethyl ethylene diamine; N,Nmethylene bisacrylamide was employed as a crosslinking agent. Aniline monomer was absorbed in the network of poly(acrylamide-co-itaconic acid) P(AAm-co-IA) hydrogel and followed by gamma radiation induced polymerization at room temperature. The novel semi-interpenetrating network was comprised of linear polyaniline immersed in P(AAm-co-IA) matrix. Electrical conductivity of the hydrogels was measured using four-probe technique. The conductivities for the prepared hydrogels are found to increase from 5.5x10(-7)Scm(-1) for P(AAm-co-IA) alone to 4.4x10(-3)Scm(-1) for semi-interpenetrating polymer network P(AAm-co-IA)/polyaniline. Thus, a new composite hydrogel with good conductive properties also displaying enhanced mechanical strength and pH sensitivity was prepared. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd