Simplifying the reaction system for the preparation of polyaniline nanofibers: Re-examination of template-free oxidative chemical polymerization of aniline in conventional low-pH acidic aqueous media

Abstract

In this study, several polyaniline samples were prepared by oxidative chemical polymerization using only aniline, (NH 4) 2S 2O 8 and HCl in aqueous media at room temperature for morphological studies by SEM (scanning electron microscopy). The results show that polyaniline nanofibers can be obtained by template-free oxidative chemical polymerization in a conventional low-pH acidic aqueous medium (pH ∼ 0) at room temperature. The study indicates that it is crucial to employ a mild post-polymerization processing procedure, such as dialysis, to preserve the as-formed morphology of polyaniline nanofibers. Our study also suggests that polyaniline could adopt the nanofiber structure as its intrinsic morphology when it is synthesized in a simple oxidative chemical polymerization system consisting of only aniline, (NH 4) 2S 2O 8 and HCl in an aqueous medium at room temperature.