The effect of polyaniline composition on the polyurethane/polyaniline composite properties: The enhancement of electrical and mechanical properties for medical tissue engineering

This study addresses the urgent need for the preparation and characterization of conductive polyurethane/polyaniline (PU/PANI) polymers for medical device applications, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 situation. Composite films of PU/PANI were synthesized using the solution casting method. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) results confirmed the presence of PANI, as indicated by absorption bands at 1597 and 1531 cm(-1) corresponding to C=C and C-N stretching, respectively. Microscopic analyses using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) demonstrated a homogeneous distribution of PANI in the PU matrix up to approximately 3 wt.%, with inhomogeneity observed at 5 wt.%. The dielectric constants at 1 Hz for PANI contents of 1, 3, and 5 wt.% in the PU matrix were 12.5, 18.5, and 35.0, respectively. The conductivity exhibited a decreasing trend with an increasing driving frequency. Conversely, for comparative purposes, the dielectric and conductivity values increased with higher PANI contents. The elastic modulus slightly increased from 20.3, 20.8, and 21.2 for 1, 3, and 5 wt.%, respectively. The experimental results emphasize the superior mechanical-to-electrical conversion performance of PU/PANI composites compared to neat PU, thus indicating potential applications in medical tissue engineering that utilize conductive PU/PANI polymers.