SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL CONDUCTING MONOMER SHOWING CHIMERIC POLYMERISATION BEHAVIOUR: VERSATILE APPLICATIONS IN DEFENCE AND AEROSPACE RESEARCH

摘要

Defence and Aerospace applications are two potential areas where Conducting Polymer-based ( CPs) material performance requirements are continually pushed to the limits of what is possible, and where there is a constant demand for new and better materials. However, one of the major problems of CPs such as polyanilines is its relative intractability, processability and lack of functionality. Here we present a new difunctional monomer; N-phenylethylene diamine methacrylamide (NPEDMA) which contains both aniline and a methacrylamide group, capable of polymerisation by free radical methods. The NPEDMA therefore represent molecules with orthogonal reactivities and as such are versatile materials with many different potential applications in defence and aerospace, the suitability of the material for which is determined by the order in which polymerization is carried out. The novelty of the work lies in the ability to create interpenetrated polymeric network consisting of conjugated and additive polymers which benefits from high conductivity and mechanical, chemical and thermoresistance. The monomer can also be polymerised electrochemically onto a suitable electrode, giving a conductive polymer surface with a high density of double bonds, capable of cross-linking the polymer or being utilised as reactive sites to enable the grafting of further polymeric or biological materials for various sensor or fabrication of nanocomposites. Further, we have explored the possibilities of using NPEDMA in fabrication of hybrid sensor using molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). NPEDMA can also be used for generation of nanofiberous materials with high surface area which provides a remarkable capacity for attachment or release of any adsorbed moiety/ions or gases and these properties can be exploited for several defence applications. We have synthesised nanostructured conducting membranes using template synthesis of NPEDMA and also fabricated a gas sensitive photoluminescence sensor which can detect various gases such as NO2 in air-cabinet . Some other application area for NPEDMA polymers are : fabrication of conductive layers in electrochemical sensors, fuel cells and batteries; radiation shielding and anti-static; corrosion resistant and biocompatible coatings; lithographic patterning ; microwave protective shielding and filtering coatings for military applications (Stealth and Radar technologies); conductive fabrics for personal electronics, anti-static clothing, radiation shielding and stealth clothing and protection of static-sensitive electronic devices; coatings for use in electrostatic dissipation, electroluminescent display devices, organic LED's and flat-panel displays; use as photochromic materials for Smart Window technology; photorecording and photosensitive materials and "invisible inks" for novelty and security applications.