Acid doping of polyaniline: Spectroscopic and electrochemical studies

A detailed investigation of the acid doping behavior of polyaniline has led to a robust and reproducible procedure for controlled adjustment of the redox state of dry polyaniline films. The initial step in this procedure is the casting of PANI films from formic acid. The subsequent exchange of the trapped formic acid for other primary dopants obtained from mono- and polyprotic acids (e.g., CH3COO-, BF4-, HSO4-, SO42-, H2PO4-, and HPO42-) is demonstrated. The voltammetric and the spectroscopic behavior of the PANI doped with different anions indicate that both the protons and the anions of dopant acids influence the structure and redox properties of the polymer. The redox state of PANI doped with homologous series of chloroacetic and carboxylic acids correlates with the pK(a) of the dopant acid. These results show that it is possible to prepare the polymer with a desired oxidation state according to the pK(a) of the dopant acid of a given homologous series. The exchange of the formic acid for both stronger and weaker doping acid can be repeatedly accomplished by electrochemical cycling.