Preparation and comparative study of polyaniline/copper and polyaniline/silver composites by electrical explosion of wire

Polyaniline-copper (PANI-Cu) and polyaniline-silver (PANI-Ag) composites were prepared by electrical explosion of wire (EEW) in presence and the absence of polyacrylic acid (PAA) surfactant. Structure characteristics of the composites were studied by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-vis spectroscopy and electrical measurement. The conductivity of polyaniline-metal increased several magnitude compared to pure PANI. The characteristics of composites changed significantly when PAA was used. The stability of composite colloids increased; the surface of composite was smoother and the conductivity decreased. PANI-Ag composite have higher conductivity than PANI-Cu.