CONDUCTIVE POLYANILINE POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) FILMS OBTAINED BY ELECTROPOLYMERIZATION

Electrochemical polymerization of aniline, on a Pt foil electrode coat ed with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), produces a homogeneous, free -standing, flexible, and conductive polymer film. The conductivity of the films depends on the aniline content and reaches 0.1-0.2 S/cm for films having aniline content of 15% or more. The optimum thickness of precoated PMMA to obtain durable conducting films was found to be in t he range of 10-15 mu m. Cyclic voltammetric investigation revealed tha t aniline exhibits a similar electrochemical behavior on a PMMA coated platinum electrode similar to a bare Pt surface. The film gives a fas t and reproducible response against ammonia gas within a concentration range of 1.0-0.01%. Scanning electron micrographs indicate that the f ilms have a rough structure consisting of globular regions. (C) 1996 J ohn Wiley & Sons, Inc.