CHARACTERIZING THE CHEMICAL INTERACTIONS THAT OCCUR ON POLYANILINE WITH INVERSE THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY

Inverse thin layer chromatography is used to characterise the chemical interactions that occur on polyaniline that has been electrochemicall y deposited on to a support. Amino acids are used as the molecular pro be species by which the retention behaviour can be related to particul ar chemical interactions. The mobile phase is also varied, with respec t to its polarity and pH, in order to add a further dimension to the q ualitative information that is obtained. Anion exchange interactions a re found to be the dominant interaction type. However, the behaviour s eems to be different to that which occurs on conventional anion exchan ge materials. The behaviour was dependent upon the number of negative sites and also their spatial arrangement. A configurational-selective ionic interaction with the polaron lattice of the polyaniline is propo sed. The response of the anion exchange behaviour to a change of pH su ggested that protonated sites remained within the polymer, even at hig h pH values (c. 9).