Arrangement of Conductive Rod Nanobrushes via Conductive–Dielectric–Conductive Sandwiched Single Crystals of Poly(ethylene glycol) and Polyaniline Block Copolymers

Abstract

Conductive rod nanobrushes of polyaniline (PANI) were developed via the growth of conductive–dielectric–conductive sandwiched single crystals obtained from poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG5000)-b-PANIn, PANIn-b-PEG6000-b-PANIn, and PANIn-b-PEG35000-b-PANIn block copolymers synthesized by interfacial polymerization fostering two different oxidants (ammonium peroxydisulfate (APS) as a weaker and potassium hydrogen biiodate (PHD) as a stronger oxidant). Based on the dispersity of the diameter of the PANI nanofibers and the various molecular weights of PEG substrates, two distinct morphologies were detected, i.e., matrix–dispersed morphology for PANIn-b-PEG35000-b-PANIn and dispersed–dispersed morphology for PANIn-b-PEG6000-b-PANIn and PEG5000-b-PANIn single crystals. In matrix–dispersed single crystals, through an elevated crystallization temperature (Tc), a convergence occurred between the heights of matrix (partly stretched PANIs) and disperses (fully stretched PANIs). Because of their higher conductivity (e.g.,...