The current study was focused on electrically conductive
polyaniline
(PANI)-based polymer composites and their films, which contain poly(vinyl
alcohol) (PVA). The goal of this research was to evaluate PANI composites
that contain biopolymer platforms (chitosan or cellulose micro-powder)
as materials for humidity sensing, which were compared against composites
that contain carbon nanofibers in lieu of the biopolymer. Ternary
film materials were prepared by a two-step method: (1) in situ polymerization
of PANI onto the biopolymer or carbon support to yield a binary composite,
and (2) physical blending of the resulting binary composite with PVA
to yield a ternary composite in a film form. The following mechanical
properties were estimated: (a) elastic (Young’s) modulus and
stiffness, (b) ductility and toughness, and (c) yield and tensile
strength. The Young’s modulus improved as the chitosan fraction
increased, which indicates that chitosan can be used as a mechanical
reinforcement additive for PANI-based composites. The electrical properties
were characterized by plots of electrical conductivity versus relative
humidity, whereas mechanical properties were evaluated using tensile
testing. Overall, chitosan-based films showed good mechanical properties,
moderate electrical conductivity, and favorable high humidity response
and moisture uptake. Cellulose- and carbon-based composites were generally
inferior to chitosan for most properties, except for higher conductivity.
Due to the high brittleness of carbon-based composites, the practical
utility of carbon nanofibers for humidity sensing is limited in the
case of pristine carbon materials. This work reveals that ternary
PANI-based composites are potential candidates for humidity sensor
materials, where moderate PANI-to-chitosan/cellulose/carbon ratios
enable good moisture uptake and electromechanical properties of composites.
PANI/biopolymer composites are a promising class of sustainable materials
due to the ability to tailor their structure and properties, in contrast
to conventional ceramic humidity sensor materials.