New insights on interfacial polymerization kinetics of polyaniline

Abstract

The kinetics on the interfacial polymerization, IP, of polyaniline, PANI, has been studied by in situ dynamic conductivity measurement. Experimentally, the IP process was performed in classical and nonclassical by varying the ratio of upper/bottom phase volume in symmetrical or asymmetrical, respectively. Recorded dynamic solution conductivity, μ, curves showed that the fully PANI IP process has three stages: when the time, t, increase caused the μ stable at the first stage, rapid enhancement to the highest at the second stage, and then again stable while at a higher equilibrium level at the third stage. By defining the dμ/dt as the dynamic polymerization rate, rd, and the drd/dt as the dynamic polymerization acceleration, ad, respectively, the presented relative curves shown that the rd and ad both were varied in whole IP process while the increase was only at the second IP stage. Comparisons found that the increase of the time for rd and ad approaching to the greatest at the second stage was important for enhancing the conductivity of PANI, and the nonclassical IP process, especially the enhancement of the bottom phase volume, was the better than the others.