Conductive polymers have been widely investigated due to growing interest in their use in, e.g., anti-static coatings, conductive paints, electromagnetic shielding, electrode coatings and the like. Polypyrrole is a relatively air-stable conductive polymer which has previously been prepared by electrochemical methods (see, e.g., Kanazawa et al., J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Comm., 854 (1979)), and by chemical synthesis methods (see, e.g., Myers, J. Elec. Mat. 2, 61 (1986)). Polypyrrole latex particles have also been prepared in aqueous media by including certain polymers as polymeric surfactants often referred to as steric stabilizers, e.g., poly(vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate), poly(vinylpyrrolidone), poly(acrylamide), poly(ethylene oxide) and methylcellulose. Recently, polypyrrole particles which have been prepared in an aqueous medium have then been transferred into a nonaqueous medium, e.g., dioxan (see Cawdery et al., J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Comm., 1189 (1988)).
A method of directly preparing such polypyrrole latex particles in a nonaqueous medium has previously been unavailable. Such a method would simplify the preparation by, e.g., a reduction in the number of steps and a reduction in waste by-products.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process of preparing colloidal polypyrrole particles directly in a nonaqueous medium.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an electrically conductive polymer composition capable of being formed in nonaqueous medium.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electrically conductive polymer composition capable of ready processability.