ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Effect of cations on polyaniline morphology

David Pahovnik, Ema Žagar, Jiří Vohlídal, and Majda Žigon

Laboratory for Polymer Chemistry and Technology, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

E-mail: david.pahovnik@ki.si

Abstract: Nanostructured polyanilines of different morphologies were prepared by chemical polymerization of aniline with ammonium peroxodisulfate in aqueous HCl using various inorganic and organic chlorides as additives with the aim to determine the effect of cations of the added electrolyte on the morphology, spectroscopic characteristics, and conductivity of formed polyanilines. Chlorides of basic metals: NaCl and CaCl₂ did not show any significant effect while AlCl₃ and organic electrolytes were found to influence the morphology of polyanilines. The effect of organic-electrolyte additives, which actually are ionic liquids, is explained by the organization of their molecules to micellar structures that act as soft templates for emerging polyaniline nanoparticles. The effect of AlCl₃ is ascribed to the transformation of its molecules to [AlCl₄]⁻ anions.

Keywords: polyaniline – nanostructures – ionic liquids – morphology – electrolytes

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-013-0352-6

Chemical Papers 67 (8) 946–951 (2013)