Electroless surface polymerization of ordered conducting polyaniline filmson aniline-primed substrates

Ordered conducting polyaniline films were obtained by electroless surface p olymerization of aniline molecules on C6H5NHC3H6Si(OMe)(3)-modified substra tes. Dense, smooth and strongly adhered films with thickness in the range o f 50 nm to 1 mum were isolated. The polymer films were in their conducting state and were homogeneously doped. Complete protonating/deprotonating of p olyaniline films took only several seconds, and this process could be repea ted several times without affecting the adhesion and conductivity of the po lymer films. Infrared, X-ray diffractometer and transmission electron micro scopy data revealed the ordering of polyaniline chains, which have the doma in size of a couple of hundred angstroms. The room temperature conductivity of the 1 mum polyaniline film was 0.5 S/cm. These polymer films were very stable, their conductivities did not change even after staying in ambient a tmosphere for 1 months. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.