AMIC ACID DOPING OF POLYANILINE - CHARACTERIZATION AND RESULTING BLENDS

Amic acids are found to be dopants for polyaniline (Pani). In particul ar, polyamic acids, the precursors to polyimides, react with Pani to f orm an all-polymer conducting matrix composed of protonated Pani and t he polyamate counteranion. The acid/base interaction provides the driv ing force for molecular miscibility. The doping reaction is probed fur ther by using a model system based on a monomeric diamic acid. It is f ound that the conductivity in the all-polymer matrix is limited by geo metric constraints between the two polymers. Upon imidization of the P ani/polyamic acid blend, the doping reaction is reversed resulting in a non-conducting Pani/polyimide blend. However, the miscibility betwee n the two polymers is still retained forming a ''frustrated'' blend in which the two polymers are frozen into a homogeneous, non-equilibrium state unable to phase separate as a result of physical restrictions.