Detailed study of catalytic preparation of polyaniline (PANI) with iron(III)chloride – hydrogen peroxide catalyst system is reported. The work is focused on study of the course of the polymerization and investigation of spectral, morphological and redox properties of obtained polymers.
The course of polymerization was monitored by potential time profiling (Pt electrode vs. SCE), UV/vis spectroscopy and capillary zone electrophoresis.
Structure of catalytically prepared PANI depended on H2O2-to-ANI ratio. In comparison to stoichiometrically prepared PANIs, catalytically prepared PANIs exhibited structure defects visible in UV/vis, infrared and Raman spectra.
This content of structure defects is low for substoichiometric H2O2-to-ANI ratio. Their spectral features tends to properties of PANI prepared with (NH4)2S2O8 with H2O2-to-ANI ratio limiting to zero.
The content of structure defects is high for overstoichiometric H2O2-to-ANI ratio.