In this study, cationic semi-IPN films (CS-DA-DAD) containing chitosan (CS), N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DA), and diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DAD) were prepared for the first time at initial molar concentrations of 0.06, 0.12, 0.18, and 0.21 M, using ammonium persulphate (APS) as initiator, and N,N,N’,N’-tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED) as accelerator. For comparison, CS and CS-DA films were also prepared.
The characterization of films was performed by FTIR, DSC, and XRD methods. Electrical properties of the films were determined by the measurements of dielectric constant (') and dielectric loss ('') between 12 Hz and 100 kHz at room temperature under dry air atmosphere.
Dielectric constant values of all films decreased with frequency. While the dielectric constants of CS-DA-DAD increased with the increase in DAD content, those of CS-DA films decreased with the increase in DA content due to the decrease in the ionic charge density of the film.
It has been determined that the increase in DAD content of CS-DA-DAD films shifted the frequency values corresponding to the maximum value of the imaginary part of the electric modulus (M'') to the higher values. This result indicates the increase in conductivity and the decrease in relaxation time of the films with DAD. In the case of CS-DA films, the increase in DA content led to shift the frequency values corresponding to the maximum value of the imaginary part of the electric modulus to lower values, which is indicating the decrease in the conductivity of the films and the increase in their relaxation times.