A conductive composite of polythiophene with 13X-zeolite

A composite of polythiophene (PTP) with 13X-zeolite was prepared via chemical oxidative polymerization of thiophene (TP) in presence of a dispersion of 13X-zeolite (powder) in CHCl3 solvent using anhydrous FeCl3 oxidant. Formation of PTP and its subsequent incorporation in the PTP-13X composite was confirmed by FTIR spectral studies and X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern analysis. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis revealed formation of composite particles with average diameter in the range of 5–10 μm. XRD analyses indicated typical structural differences between 13X-zeolite and PTP-13X-zeolite composite. DC conductivity value of the PTP-13X-zeolite composite was in the order of 10−2 S/cm, which was indeed high compared to that of PTP, produced under identical conditions as above without the presence of 13X-zeolite.