The blue shift of the benzenoid-to-quinoid exciton transition (BQET) in thin films of the emeraldine base (EB) of polyaniline (PANI) observed earlier has been studied in more detail in order to explain its origin. It was found that the shift is partly reversible upon annealing of the films or their exposure to solvent vapors. Infra-red (IR) absorption spectra of the films did not reveal features attributable to the pernigraniline base (PB) of polyaniline. It has been proposed that direct interaction of planar benzenoid and quinoid chromophore groups rather than oxidation of the polymer chains is responsible, for the blue-shifted exciton transition in thin polyaniline films. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.