Abstract: UHMWPE/PANI composite fibers were prepared by in-situ polymerization in this paper. In order to improve the electrical conducting property of composite fibers, UHMWPE fibers were pretreated by oxygen plasma. The relationships between electrical conducting property of composite fibers and plasma conditions(i.e. exposure time, discharge power and oxygen pressure) were analyzed, and the influence of plasma treatment on the surface morphology of the fibers after treatment was investigated by scanning electron microscope(SEM). The results indicated that oxygen plasma treatment improved the electrical conductivity of the composite fibers due to the increased surface roughness and surface energy of UHMWPE fibers after plasma treatment. The electrical conductivity of the composite fibers reached to 0.18S/cm with the base fibers treated by oxygen plasma in discharge power of 90W, and oxygen pressure of 40Pa for 2min. The electrical conductivity of composite fibers increased firstly and then decreased with the increase of exposure time, discharge power and oxygen pressure of oxygen plasma.

Key words: oxygen plasma, PANI, UNMWPE fiber, in-situ polymerization, conductive fiber, surface morphology