Electrical and thermal studies on poly(3-methyl thiophene) and in situ polymerized poly(3-methyl thiophene)cerium(IV)phosphate cation exchange nanocomposite

Electrically conductive poly(3-methythiophene)cerium(IV)phosphate cation exchange nanocomposites have been synthesized for the first time by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of 3-methythiophene in the presence of cerium(IV)phosphate. FTIR, SEM, TEM and XRD analysis were used to characterize P3MThcerium(IV)phosphate cation exchange nanocomposites. The characterization results confirmed that there is a strong interaction between poly(3-methythiophene) and cerium(IV)phosphate particles. The thermal behavior of poly(3-methythiophene), cerium(IV)phosphate and poly(3-methythiophene) cerium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite were also investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and differential thermal gravimetry (DTG) at heating rate 10 C min^-1 under nitrogen atmosphere and the P3MThcerium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite was found thermally more stable than pure P3MTh. Isothermal stability of P3MTh and P3MThcerium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite in terms of direct-current electrical conductivity retention was also studied in ambient air. The P3MThcerium(IV)phosphate nanocomposite showed better ion-exchange capacity, electrical conductivity and isothermal stability in terms of direct-current electrical conductivity retention under ambient condition than pure poly(3-methythiophene).