title: Improved electrorheological effect in polyaniline nanocomposite suspensions.
abstract: We prepared polyaniline (PANI)/clay composites that are composed of both PANI-clay nanocomposite particles and pure PANI particles. The PANI-clay nanocomposite particles were made during the polymerization process, wherein PANI particles are attached on the surface of exfoliated clay particles modified by an aminosilane group. The PANI/clay composites were used as electrorheological fluids (ERFs) by dispersing them in silicon oil. The PANI-clay nanocomposite particles, which can form columnar structure under an electric field, strongly enhance the mechanical rigidity of the suspensions. The maximum yield stress of the PANI/clay composite suspensions (15 wt% in silicon oil) was 1.6 kPa at 3 kV/mm, while that of pure PANI was 300 Pa at the same electric field. A mechanism to explain the yield behaviors of the PANI-based nanocomposite suspensions is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Functional Polymer, Department of Chemical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 373-1 Kusong-dong, Yusong-gu, Taejon, 305-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Taik
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Jong Hyeok
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: O Ok
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Park