Preparation and properties of heterocyclically conjugated poly(3‐hexylthiophene)–clay nanocomposite materials

A series of heterocyclically conjugated polymer–clay nanocomposite (PCN) materials that consisted of organic poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and inorganic montmorillonite (MMT) clay platelets were prepared by in situ oxidative polymerization with FeCl 3 as an oxidant. The as‐synthesized PCN materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, wide‐angle powder X‐ray diffraction (WAXRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effects of the material composition on the anticorrosion, gas barrier, thermal stability, flammability, mechanical strength, and electrical conductivity properties of the P3HT and PCN materials were studied by electrochemical corrosion measurements, gas‐permeability analysis (GPA), thermogrametric analysis (TGA), limiting oxygen index (LOI) measurements, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and a four‐point probe technique, respectively. The molecular weights of extracted and bulk P3HT were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) with THF as an eluant.