Electrically conducting polyaniline-poly(acrylic acid) blends

We report an electrically conducting polyaniline–poly(acrylic acid) blend coatings prepared by mixing the emeraldine base (EB) form of polyaniline (PANI) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) aqueous solution. The samples show a moderate electrical conductivity σ. If they are immersed in an HCl aqueous solution, the conductivity of the samples is increased by two or three orders of magnitude and their thermal stability is also improved. Optical transmittance spectra show a complete protonation of PANI–PAA blends after immersion in HCl aqueous solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies indicate that the better thermal stability of σ could come from the more stable protonated imine nitrogen ions. A low percolation threshold phenomenon is observed in PANI–PAA blends, from a strong interaction between the carboxylic acid groups of PAA and the nitrogen atoms of PANI.