Waterborne core-shell dispersions based on intrinsically conducting polymers for coating applications

A new route to obtain waterborne colloidal dispersions of intrinsically conducting has been found. Use is made of a commercial aqueous resin dispersion, stabilized by non-ionic surfactants, to which aqueous solutions of oxidant and pyrrole are added. Instead of pyrrole, aniline can be used as well. Core-shell particles were shown to exist in polypyrrole/polyurethane and polypyrrole/alkyd dispersions by TEM, dielectric measurements and microelectroforesis. Coatings from these dispersions have good conductivity and stability.