Electrically conductive acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber elastomers prepared by dopamine-induced surface functionalization and metallization

A novel method for the preparation of electrical conductive surface silvered acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) was developed. Dopamine was spontaneously oxide polymerized and deposited onto the surface of NBR. Electroless plating of silver was carried out on the poly(dopamine) (PDA)-functionalized NBR surface. The composition of the NBR surface was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XPS results showed that PDA was successfully deposited onto the NBR surface. The morphology of the NBR surface was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM images showed that PDA had formed a distinctive layer ready for electroless deposition of silver. The catechol/quinone groups on the PDA molecular structure can be used as binding sites for silver ions. The silvered NBR showed high surface conductivity of 1.4Ω.