Studies of inter-polymer complexes of conducting polymers

Water-dispersible complexes between polyelectrolytes and conducting polymers were synthesized by template polymerization. In these complexes, polyelectrolytes act as both dopants and steric stabilizers. Whether poly(acrylic acid)-polyaniline complexes are dispersible or precipitate depends on the molecular weight of poly(acrylic acid). Poly(acrylic acid) with high molecular weight favoring dispersible complexes, while low molecular-weight poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) leads to precipitate. Inter-polymer complexes between poly(carboxylic acid) and conducting polymers can be cross-linked. Coatings of cross-linked complexes on steel and aluminum were studied for corrosion protection. Chiral PAA-PANI nanocomposites were synthesized by template polymerization of aniline in the presence of PAA, aniline and camphor sulfonic acid (CSA). The chirality of Chiral Complexes between polyelectrolytes and polyaniline PAA-PANI is induced by interaction between aniline/PANI and CSA. Chirality of PAA-PANI strongly depends on the method of synthesis, the concentration of PAA-AN-CSA, the ratio of PAA to aniline, templates, and temperature. Optically active multilayers between PAA-PANI and polycations can be prepared by spin-assembly. The thickness of multilayers build by alternate spin cast PAA-PANI (EB) and PDDA increased linearly with the number of bilayers.