Characterization of Langmuir-Blodgett films of parent polyaniline

Abstract

Conducting Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films have been fabricated from parent polyaniline (PAni) which was doped with functionalized acids. In order to optimize experimental conditions for the formation of stable Langmuir monolayers and their subsequent transfer onto solid substrates, PAni was dissolved in ten different combinations of chloroform solutions. Use was made of camphor sulfonic acid, dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid, and toluenesulfonic acid, and of the solvents N-methyl pyrrolidine and m-cresol as processing agents. Because acidic subphases have been employed, as-deposited LB films were already doped, which was confirmed by the appearance of a polaronic band in the UV-Vis absorption spectra. The absorbance peak increases with the number of deposited layers indicating that a suitable multilayer buildup is accomplished. When analysed by atomic force microscopy, PAni LB films show a fibrillar structure with the fibril width ranging from ≈60 to 160 nm.