Polypyrrole-coated electrospun polystyrene-Fe (III) composite fibres

Abstract

Polypyrrole (Ppy) was synthesized via a chemical oxidization method with FeCl3.6H2O (FCHH) on electrospun polystyrene fibres ESPSF. The spinning process was achieved using Electrospinning for three solutions of polystyrene PS including 3, 5, and 9 % wt/v of FCHH in dimethyl formamide (DMF). The fibres diameters were monitored by scanning electron microscope SEM before and after coating, and it was found that the best results were achieved at low concentrations of FCHH. The Ppy coating was applied under four exposure periods (90, 150, 200, and 270 minutes) at 22C; Fibre diameter and coating quality are directly related in the study. The technique suggests a potential route towards producing conducting fibres with micro/nanoscale dimensions using Electrospinning followed by vapor chemical polymerization of pyrrole.