PROCESSABLE CONDUCTING POLYANILINE

It has been found that diesters of phosphoric acid with branched alkyl substituents solubilize polyaniline in its protonated (conducting) state. Polyaniline protonated with (bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate or bis(2-methylpropyl)phosphate is highly soluble in common organic solvents such as toluene, decaline, THF and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Conducting blends with poly(methylmethacrylate) or poly(acylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS) can be prepared showing high conductivity for very low electroactive component content. Protonation of polyemeraldine base with neat esters results in a heavily plastisized mixture which can be thermally processed to give free standing films with conductivities exceeding 10 S/cm. Depending on the content of the protonating agent, time and temperature of pressing films with different Young modulus, tensile strength and elongation at break can be prepared. Similarly, conducting blends with excellent mechanical properties can be prepared from diester plasticized polyaniline and plasticized polyvinyl chloride.