Inherently Electrically Conductive Fibers Wet Spun from a Sulfonic Acid-Doped Polyaniline Solution

Abstract

Wet spinning of fibers from a solution of polyaniline doped with 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPSA) is reported. The fibers spun into selected coagulation solvents are inherently electrically conductive and can be cold drawn to extensions of >500%with a concomitant rise in electrical conductivity of ∼1500%. The fibers appear to be void free and, when drawn, the strain-hardened fibers show final breaking strains of the order of 50 MPa. These fibers are stable in air and could be produced cheaply on an industrial scale.