Abstract
We have prepared organic conducting nanocomposite inks which utilize polypyrrole as conducting parts and small silica particles as dispersants. The nanocomposite inks of polypyrrole and silica represent a potentially useful processable form of polypyrrole, a normally intractable conducting polymer. Transmission electron microscopy studies confirm that the polypyrrole-silica nanocomposites are made up of microaggregates of the original small silica particles, which give rise to a distinctive “raspberry” particle morphology. The particle diameter of the nanocomposites as measured by the TEM observation can be varied over the range 160-270nm depending on the colloid synthesis conditions. The electrical conductivities of polypyrrole-silica nanocomposite inks are lower by an order of magnitude relative to bulk powder prepared under the same condition. We confirmed that these polypyrrole-silica nanocomposites can be utilized as inkjet inks due to their high colloid stabilities.
