In this work composites with different compositions were obtained from natural rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) (NR) and polyaniline (PANI) using the emulsion polymerization of aniline in the presence of NR and dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA). The samples in film form were obtained by pressing the precipitate at 100 °C for 5 minutes. The composites were characterized by electrical conductivity, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X ray diffraction. Composites with electrical conductivity about 14 orders of magnitude higher than NR were obtained. The UV-vis-NIR and FTIR spectra showed that PANI-DBSA was formed in the composites, thus making it responsible for their high conductivity. The DSC thermograms indicated that the two polymers are immiscible and X ray diffraction evidenced that NB does not considerably affect PANI-DBSA crystalline phase in the composite.
Emulsion polymerization; natural rubber; polyaniline
