Particle size distributions of polyaniline-silica colloidal composites

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Langmuir; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/la00045a018· OSTI ID:5425366

Gill, M; Armes, S P ^[1]; Fairhurst, D ^[2]; Emmett, S N ^[3]; Idzorek, G; Pigott, T ^[4]

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1. Univ. of Sussex, Brighton (United Kingdom)
2. Brookhaven Instruments Corporation, Holtsville, NY (United States)
3. I.C.I. Paints, Slough (United Kingdom)
4. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

We have characterized a new polyaniline-silica composite colloid by various particle sizing techniques. Our transmission electron microscopy studies have confirmed for the first time an unusual raspberry morphology, with the small silica particles held together by the polyaniline [open quotes]binder[close quotes]. These particles have average diameters in the size range 150-500 nm. Charge-velocity analysis experiments indicated a number-average particle diameter of 300 [plus minus] 80 nm, but only poor statistics were obtained (172 particles counted). Photon correlation spectroscopy studies suggested an intensity-average particle diameter of 380 nm. Disk centrifuge photosedimentometry (DCP) turned out to be our preferred sizing technique for the polyaniline-silica colloids, since it was both quick and reliable and, more importantly, produced the true particle size distribution (PSD) curve with excellent statistics. The DCP data indicated a weight-average and number-average particle diameter of 330 [plus minus] 70 nm and 280 [plus minus] 70 nm, respectively, and moreover confirmed the PSD to be both broad and unimodal. Finally, these colloidal composites were sized using the Malvern Aerosizer. Using this instrument in conjunction with a nebulizer attachment (which allowed particle sizing of the [open quotes]wet[close quotes] dispersion) rather than in the conventional [open quotes]dry powder[close quotes] mode, we obtained particle size data which were in reasonable agreement with the DCP results. 31 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 5425366
• Journal Information: Langmuir; (United States), Journal Name: Langmuir; (United States) Vol. 8:9; ISSN LANGD5; ISSN 0743-7463
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360606 -- Other Materials-- Physical Properties-- (1992-)
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400201* -- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
AMINES
ANILINE
AROMATICS
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
MATERIALS
MICROSCOPY
MINERALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SIZE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLYMERS
SILICA
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SIZE
SPECTROSCOPY
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY