Nucleophilic substitution reactions of polyaniline with substituted benzenediazonium ions: A facile method for controlling the surface chemistry of conducting polymers

The surface chemistry of polyaniline films is controlled via the nucleophilic reaction of amines within the polymer with substituted benzenediazonium ions. The nucleophilic reaction is shown to be diffusion-limited regardless of the substituent on the benzenediazonium ion. Chemical modification results in a layered structure within the film where the thickness of the modified region can be controlled over a range of a few nanometers to over half a micron depending on the time scale of modification.