Polyaniline: Thin films and colloidal dispersions (IUPAC Technical Report)

Abstract

Several workers from various institutions in six countries have prepared thin films and colloidal polyaniline dispersions. The films were produced in situ on glass supports during the oxidation of anilinium chloride with ammonium peroxydisulfate in water. The average thickness of the films, assessed by optical absorption, was 125 ± 9 nm, and the conductivity of films was 2.6 ± 0.7 S cm–1. Films prepared in 1 mol l–1 HCl had a similar thickness, 109 ± 10 nm, but a higher conductivity, 18.8 ± 7.1 S cm–1. Colloidal polyaniline particles stabilized with a water-soluble polymer, poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) [poly(1-vinylpyrrolidin-2-one)], have been prepared by dispersion polymerization. The average particle size, 241 ± 50 nm, and polydispersity, 0.26 ± 0.12, have been determined by dynamic light scattering. The preparation of these two supramolecular polyaniline forms was found to be well reproducible.