Synthesis,Characterization and Electrorheological Properties of Polyaniline/Titanate Core-Shell Composite

In this study, a facile method was developed for the preparation of a new conducting polymer composite with core-shell structure. The surfaces of layered titanate (K₂Ti₄O₉) particles were first modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, and then a polyaniline/titanate (PANI/K₂Ti₄O₉) composite was synthesized via chemical oxidative polymerization. The resulting composites were characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR and TG measurements. The results indicated that the PANI deposited on the surface of K₂Ti₄O₉ particles resulted in the formation of the composite with a core-shell structure. TG analysis showed that the composite containing 28.7 wt% PANI had better thermal stability than that of pure PANI. Further, the PANI/K₂Ti₄O₉ composite particles were adopted as a dispersed phase in silicone oil for electrorheological (ER) investigation. Suspension of the composite particles exhibited typical ER behavior subjected to an external electric field under steady and dynamic oscillatory shear.