Conductivity, superhydrophobicity and mechanical properties of cotton fabric treated with polypyrrole by in-situ polymerization using the binary oxidants ammonium Peroxodisulfate and ferric chloride

In this study, polypyrrole deposition and a superhydrophobic coating were applied to cotton fabrics to develop a self-cleaning and conductive fabric with electric heating performance. The binary oxidants ammonium peroxodisulfate and ferric chloride were introduced during the polymerization to adjust the size of the polypyrrole particles for creating diverse nano-scale roughness on the surface of the cotton fabrics and to prevent degradation in the mechanical properties of textiles. The in-situ polymerization of polypyrrole that introduced the binary oxidants succeeded in depositing polypyrrole particles on the surface of the cotton fabrics. Binary oxidants formed small polypyrrole particles contrary to the single oxidants. In terms of conductivity, the surface resistivity decreased as the FeCl3 ratio in the oxidants increased. The binary oxidants led to a similar level of conductivity even though the amount of polypyrrole deposition was less than that in the case of the single oxidant. The electrical heating performance improved as the surface resistance was decreased, resulting in an up to 20℃ increase in the surface temperature. On the other hand, the duration of the electro-heating effect was shorter with higher surface temperature. In terms of wettability, a superhydrophobicity with a contact angle of 150° or higher and a shedding angle of less than 10° was achieved under all oxidant conditions because of the nano-scale roughness caused by polypyrrole. Polypyrrole deposition reduced the tensile strength of the cotton fabric and increased its stiffness. The binary oxidants exhibited smaller changes in the mechanical properties of the textile than the single oxidants.

Effect of cations on polyaniline morphology

Nanostructured polyanilines of different morphologies were prepared by chemical polymerization of aniline with ammonium peroxodisulfate in aqueous HCl using various inorganic and organic chlorides as additives with the aim to determine the effect of cations of the added electrolyte on the morphology, spectroscopic characteristics, and conductivity of formed polyanilines. Chlorides of basic metals: NaCl and CaCl2 did not show any significant effect while AlCl3 and organic electrolytes were found to influence the morphology of polyanilines. The effect of organic-electrolyte additives, which actually are ionic liquids, is explained by the organization of their molecules to micellar structures that act as soft templates for emerging polyaniline nanoparticles. The effect of AlCl3 is ascribed to the transformation of its molecules to [AlCl4]− anions.

Solubility in the System (NH4)2S2O8—NH3—H2O and Mean Activity Coefficients of Saturated Solutions of (NH4)2S2O8

Solubility in the System (NH4)2S2O8—NH3—H2O and Mean Activity Coefficients of Saturated Solutions of (NH4)2S2O8The solubility data of ammonium peroxodisulfate in aqueous ammonia solutions at 15.5 °C have been evaluated using the relative activity coefficient expansion. Using the known value of the mean activity coefficient of saturated solution of ammonium peroxodisulfate in pure water, values of the mean activity coefficients of this salt in the saturated solutions of the given system have been calculated.

Standard and reversible anodic potentials of the electrosynthesis of peroxodisulfates at 0–50 °C

Standard potentials of the couples S2O82–/SO42– and S2O82–/HSO4– in the temperature range 0–50 °C and reversible anodic potentials of the electrosynthesis of peroxodisulfates at various initial concentrations of M2SO4 and H2SO4, various conversion degree of sulfate to peroxodisulfate in the same temperature range under neglecting the effect of activity coefficients of reaction components have been derived. Reversible anodic potentials of the electrosynthesis of almost saturated solutions of ammonium peroxodisulfate in the temperature range 10–40 °C under various reaction conditions have been calculated on taking into account the corresponding activity coefficients. It has been shown that the reversible anodic potentials under respecting activity coefficients of reaction components are by about 20–30 mV higher. The results of this contribution can be applied to all chemical or electrochemical reactions of peroxodisulfates.