Research article

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Metal complexes were synthesized on the basis of the copolymers of radiation grafted poly-4-vinylpyridine onto polyethene and polytetrafluoroethene. The formation of the complexes was carried out in solutions of the following salts: FeCl₃•6H₂O, CoCl₂•6H₂O, VOSO₄•5H₂O, Na₂MoO4•2H₂O and Na₂WO₄•2H₂O. The introduction of metal ions depended on the degree of grafting of 4-vinylpyridine and it was found to be from 0.03 to 14.96 and from 0.11 to 34.48 mg metal ions per g of polymer carrier for polytetrafluoroethene and polyethene, respectively. The influence of the metal ion nature on the electrochemical characteristics of nitrogen-containing copolymers was studied. The specific electric resistance of the polymer metal complexes was found to depend on the nature of the metal ion and its content in the complex. The metal complexes obtained had lower electric resistance than the initial copolymers. This can be explained with the fact that the chelate agents (salts of metals with variable valence) have free ions and electron mobility which improve the electric conductivity of the materials obtained and have a good prospect in many fields as functional polymer. The tensile characteristics of the polymer complexes of heavy metals were also affected by the nature and contents of the ions introduced.