Interfacial Polymerization of Polyaniline Nanofibers Grafted to Au Surfaces

Using an interfacial polymerization technique, polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers are grown on Au electrodes which were pre-treated with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 4-aminothiophenol (ATP). The ATP monolayer facilitates the growth of PANI nanofibers onto the Au surface to yield a durable polymer/metal interface. This nanostructuring procedure is a feasible approach to anchoring PANI nanofibers to Au and allows for better control over conventional processing of polymer-based nanofibers.