SL 06

INTRINSICALLY CONDUCTING COMPOSITE FILMS AND HYDROGELS FOR CHEMICAL SENSORS AND DRUG RELEASE.

S. Reynaud1, B. Grassl1, C. Thévenot1, M. Bouhadid1,2, N. Redon2, J. Desbrières1

1EPCP/IPREM UMR 5254, Hélioparc, 2 avenue du président Angot, 64953 Pau cedex 9, France. (stephanie.reynaud@univ-pau.fr)

2Ecole des Mines de Douai, 941, rue Charles Bourseul, B.P. 10838, 59508 Douai Cedex, France.

Intrinsically conductive polymers (ICPs) are new class of materials, among them, polyaniline (PANI) is widely studied and may be used in a large range of applications. However to reach specific properties, all the process has to be optimized, i.e. synthesis, formulation, PANI dispersion inside the matrix, physical properties. Our work is based on a simple way of synthesis i.e. conductive nanoparticles made of polymer matrix/ICP with architecture control. Our composite is obtained in one step, in aqueous dispersion with respect to environmental and human safety requirements1. The size, formulation and morphology are controlled to obtain core/shell particles exhibiting a diameter of 400nm2, 3.

Conductive films made of our core-shell particles have been performed and tested as sensor material for ammonia. These sensors appeared to be sensitive (even at low gas concentration), reversible and exhibit a short time response that is proportional to the ammonia concentration.

The conductive particles have also been then entrapped into a hydrogel template4. Materials exhibiting homogeneous particles dispersion into the hydrogel have been obtained and characterized by kinetics, rheological, swelling and microscopy studies. These hydrogel composites have been then evaluated as drug release templates under electric field. Experimental conditions have been optimized as voltage, hydrogel formulation and drugs composition.

This study opened new investigation of PANI composites in safety and medical areas.

(1) Kohut-Svelko, N.; Joubert, M.; Reynaud, S. synthèse one-step de films conducteurs. 05 08172, 2005.

(2) Kohut-Svelko, N.; Dinant, F.; Magana, S.; Clisson, G.; François, J.; Dagron-Lartigau, C.; Reynaud, S. Polymer International 2006, 55, 1184.

(3) Kohut-Svelko, N.; Reynaud, S.; Martinez, H.; Dedryvère, R.; Gonbeau, D.; François, J. Langmuir 2005, 21, 1575.

(4) Thévenot, C.; Khoukh, A.; Reynaud, S.; Desbrières, J.; Grassl, B. Soft Matter 2006, In Press.