Formation and comparison of poly(l-lactide)-guided polyaniline morphology via normal and phase alternated interfacial polymerization

Abstract

Taking the poly(l-lactide), PLLA, as a guider to form polyanilines, PANI, via interfacial polymerization, we prepared two PANI samples. The one is the normal interfacial polymerization performed by taking the APS formed aqueous phase, AP, as the top phase and the ANI and PLA formed oil phase, OP, as the bottom phase; and the another was the phase alternated interfacial polymerization performed by taking the OP as the top phase and the AP as the bottom phase. FESEM images showed that the morphology of PLLA-guided PANI was strongly influenced by these two methods because the normal process formed a vertebra-like morphology with four round leaves in the cross-section, and the phase alternated process formed smooth and uniform microfibers. This difference was considered due to the phase alternation-induced different oxidation processes.