HREELS study of vapor-deposited polyaniline on Ag(110)

Abstract

Ultra-thin films of polyaniline on Ag(110) were characterized using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) in the vibrational and electronic loss regimes. The films were grown in situ by chemical vapor deposition using an emeraldine source. Initially, short polyaniline oligomers adsorb on the surface followed by polymerization to form longer polyaniline chains. The loss spectra in the far-infrared region indicate that the films become highly conducting upon protonation. In addition, the role of the substrate in the initial stages of polymer film growth is demonstrated by comparison with polyaniline on Cu and Au surfaces.