Semi-interpenetrating polymer networks based on polyaniline and polyvinyl alcohol-glutaraldehyde

A new semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Network (semi-IPN) based on polyvinyl a lcohol-glutaraldehyde/polyaniline was synthesized and characterized by spec troscopic analysis in the W-Visible-Infrared region and by scanning electro n microscopy (SEM). The semi-IPNs exhibit good mechanical properties, chara cteristic of polyvinyl alcohol-glutaraldehyde polymer network, and excellen t optical properties. The UV-Visible results show that the optical properti es of the semi-IPNs are characteristic only of polyaniline polymer, and tha t the semi-IPNs are able to preserve the reduced or oxidized state of polya niline for several months. The scanning electron microscopy of the semi-IPN s shown that phase separation occurs and the domains formed probably are du e to polyaniline particle covered with an adsorbed layer of electrically in sulating PVA stabilizer. The domains have a rice-grain morphology with aver age length of 1 mu m, and average width of 0.5 mu m for less cross-linked s amples. The morphology of the phase domains change from rice-grain to spher ical shape, as the cross-linking degree increases. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc e S.A. All rights reserved.