Thermal treatment and dynamic mechanical thermal properties of polyaniline

Thermal transitions of polyaniline in the emeraldine base form (Pani-EB) were studied by DMTA using two series of thermally treated samples. In the first series the specimens were annealed at 70 degreesC for 5, 15 min, 1 and 3.5 h. In the second they were submitted to annealing at 100 degreesC during the same periods of time plus a 24 h treatment. Two transitions were observed at sub-zero temperatures and were attributed to the motion of solvated water and solvent (NMP). The glass transition and the highest temperature relaxation, assigned to crosslinking depended on the degree of solvation resulting from the thermal treatment. A linear contraction of Pani-EB films with residual water evaporation was reported for the first time. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.