EXPERIMENTALCommerically available solvents and chemicals were used without further purification unless other wise stated. Ammonium persulfate and toluene were additionally subjected to crystallization [16] and frac tional distillation [17], respectively. The monomer and other reagents were prepared as described earlier [13]. The oligomers of polydiphenylamine were synthesized by the interphase (water/toluene) oxidative polymeri zation of diphenylamine monomer ([M] = 0.2 M) using ammonium persulfate ([(NH 4 ) 2 S 2 O 8 ]/[M] = 1.25) and hydrochloric acid ([M]/[HCl] = 1/5) [13].The synthesis of Cu/polydiphenylamine nano composites was performed by dissolving diphe nylamine oligomers (2 wt %) in DMFA solution con taining 5-30 wt % of copper acetate monohydrate (with respect to M w of oligomers) followed by the removal of the solvent in vacua at 85°C. The residue was then treated at 150-350°C for 2-60 min under an Ar atmosphere using an automated IR heating machine [18].The FTIR spectra were recorded using a Specord M-82 spectrophotometer with Soft Spectra software package over the region 4000-400 cm -1 on samples prepared in KBr pellets. An X ray analysis of obtained materials was performed with a Rigaku dif fractometer in a continuous mode (FeK α source, Bragg-Brentano geometry). Transmission scanning microscopy (EM-301, acceleration voltage 60-80 kV, Phillips) was used to study the microstructure of Cu/polydiphenylamine nanocomposites, while atomic adsorption spectroscopy (AAS 30, Carl Zeiss Jena) was applied for quantitative copper analysis of the fabricated samples.A thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was carried out using a Netzsch TG 209 F1 thermomicrobalance under the dynamic mode in a stream of nitrogen or air in the temperature range 30-820°C. The sample was thermostated first at 30°C for 15 min and then for the second time at 820°C for 30 min. The TG experimen tal parameters were as follows: a heating rate of 10°C/min, a nitrogen flow rate of 50 ml/min, a sample weight of 100 mg, and a standard alumina made cru cible.The calorimetric measurements were performed using a TA-4000 differential scanning calorimeter (Mettler) equipped with a DSC-30 heating cell at a heating rate of 10°C/min under N 2 in the temperature range 20-350°C.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONA comparison of the IR spectra of the starting oli gomers and the obtained Cu/polydiphenylamine nanocomposites (Fig. 1) revealed an increase in the intensity of the adsorption bands associated with the deformation vibration of aromatic C-H groups (812 cm -1 ) and valent oscillations of C=N bonds in the quinonoid like structures (1650 cm -1 ) [13,[19][20][21] as a result of the growth of the polymeric chain and the increase in the oxidation level of the product.It was shown that the thermal Cu induced poly condensation [22] of crystalline oligomers of dipheny lamine is accompanied by a release of hydrogen, which consequently leads to the reduction of Cu 2+ ions to nanoscale particles of Cu 0 (Fig. 2a).Abstract-It was found that the Cu induced thermal polycondens...