This research endeavor aimed to develop thin film blends of polypyrrole (PPy) and poly (styrene-isoprene-styrene) (SIS) with MoO3 as a nanofiller for improved mechanical and electrical properties to widen its scope in the field of mechatronics. This study reports blends of polypyrrole (PPy) and poly (styrene-isoprene-styrene) (SIS) tri-block copolymer showing improved mechanical and electrical attributes while employing MoO3 nanobelts as nanofillers that additionally improves the abovementioned properties in the ensuing nanocomposites. The synthesis of PPy/SIS blends and MoO3/PPy/SIS nanocomposites was well corroborated with XRD, SEM, FTIR, and EDS analysis. Successful blending of PPy was yielded up to 15 w/w% PPy in SIS, as beyond this self-agglomeration of PPy was observed. The results showed a remarkable increase in the conductivity of insulating SIS copolymer from 1.5 × 10-6.1 to 0.343 Scm-1 and tensile strength up to 8.5 MPa with the 15 w/w% PPy/SIS blend. A further enhancement of the properties was recorded by embedding MoO3 nanobelts with varying concentrations of the nanofillers into 15 w/w% PPy/SIS blends. The mechanical strength of the polymeric nanocomposites was enhanced up to 11.4 MPa with an increase in conductivity up to 1.51 Scm-1 for 3 w/w% MoO3/PPy-SIS blends. The resultant product exhibited good potential for electro-mechanical dual applications.
Keywords: conductivity; nanobelts; poly(styrene-isoprene-styrene); polypyrrole; tensile testing.