ANODIC DEPROTONATION OF POLYANILINE FILMS IN ALCOHOL-SOLUTIONS

Polyaniline films immersed in alcohol solutions such as methanol, etha nol, 1-propanol, and 2-propanol are deprotonated by applying anodic po tentials. The potential at which the deprotonation reaction is induced to occur is the most negative at methanol among the above four kinds of alcohols used, and ethanol, 1-propanol, and 2-propanol follow in th is order. This finding is quantitatively discussed in terms of the dif ference of the affinity of the solvent for the protonated polyaniline. An equation to predict the potential at which the conductance of poly aniline is decreased to one-half of the highest conductance by the dep rotonation is derived, and the validity of the equation is verified fo r results obtained both in aqueous solutions of different pH values an d in the above alcohol solutions.