Reaction of Geopolymers in Acid Medium and Application of Polyaniline as a Conductor of Electricity

Abstract

In 1972, the French chemist Joseph Davidovits named a new class of inorganic polymers, the geopolymers. This was due to his search for flame-resistant materials that were harmless to the environment and human health. These materials were produced by reacting aluminosilicates in alkaline solution. However, over time, it was discovered that it was possible to produce the same material via an acidic route, using phosphoric acid. In this sense, this work aimed the production of geopolymers in acid medium and the insertion of 10%, 25% and 50% of conductive charge to produce a geopolymer capable of conducting electric charge. To verify the conductive capacity of the material, the resistivity test, and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) were performed to investigate the loss of mass as a function of temperature. The tests were performed in triplicates and the data obtained were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey method and the results showed that the values were different from each other, indicating the domination of resistivity with increasing polyaniline concentration.