Calorimetric investigations of high density polyethylene/polyaniline composites

Electrically conductive composites containing high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyaniline (PANI) - dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) complex were prepared in situ by bulk oxidative polymerization of aniline (ANI) in presence of DBSA. Their thermal behaviour and crystallinity parameters were studied for the first time by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was found that the presence of the conductive complex does not affect the crystalline structure of the matrix polymer neither during in situ polymerization of ANI in powdered HDPE nor upon heating of HDPE/PANI·DBSA composite up to 180°C followed by fast cooling.