S. N. Paul ¹, Vineet V. Karambelkar ¹, S. N. Rao ², J. D. Ekhe ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur - 440010, Maharashtra, IN
2 Department of Chemistry, Priyadarshini Institute of Engineering and Technology, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur - 400001, Maharashtra, IN
3 Department of Chemistry, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur - 440010, Maharashtra, IN

Abstract

Buckingham π theorem was applied to model polypyrrole synthesis done by inverse emulsion polymerization route using Methanesulfonic acid as a dopant and potassium persulfate as an oxidant. A list of independent parameters on which polymerization depends was selected and by means of Buckingham theorem a functional relation between three dimensionless quantities; percent yield, conductivity and temperature was obtained. The actual form of the function was determined on the basis of experimental analysis and linear regression analysis. The accuracy of the proposed application was scrutinized by synthesizing pristine polypyrrole salt by the said polymerization route. It was corroborated from the experiment that the increase in percent yield and conductivity was directly proportional to the increase in oxidant concentration. Conductivity as high as 3.77 S/cm was obtained with a maximum percent yield of 94.54% at a moderate temperature range (293 K-298 K).

Keywords

Buckingham Pi Theorem, Chemical Oxidative Polymerization, Dimensionless Quantities, Mathematical Modeling, Polypyrrole, Regression Analysis

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Vineet V. Karambelkar ¹, S. N. Paul ², J. D. Ekhe ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur - 10, Maharashtra, IN
2 Department of Applied Chemistry, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur - 10, Maharashtra, IN

Abstract

Polypyrrole, an Intrinsically Conductive Polymer (ICP) was obtained through chemical oxidative polymerization of pyrrole and a low temperature sensing device was designed by pelletizing Ppy/Piezoceramic powder composite with Tin. Raw/Green pellets of Ppy/PZT composite were liquid phase sintered above the solidus temperature of Tin metal (2540C) to yield the final sensor. Current-Voltage (I-V) characteristics of two such sensor samples were analyzed. Sensor sample with 4 % Tin yielded maximum conductivity of 9.12 S/cm as compared with the sensor sample with 3 % Tin, conductivity dropped to 5 S/cm. Also, almost non- linear trend in the I-V curves was observed due to the environmental factors such as a small temperature range between 00C-1100C. Characterization of both the sensor samples using SEM confirmed that the sensor with higher Tin content behaved as a better sensor than the sensor having a lower Tin content.

Keywords

Conducting Polymers, Polypyrrole, PZT, Ppy/PZT Temperature Sensor, Sensor Design

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