LiSIPA doped polyaniline-colloidal graphite composites : Synthesis and characterizatio

Abstract

Aniline has been polymerized in the presence of colloidal graphite using lithium sulphoisophthalic acid (LiSIPA) as dopant, via the chemical oxidative polymerization route. The thermal stability and electrical conductivity have been improved significantly as compared to polyaniline doped with conventional inorganic dopants like HCl or H₂SO₄. The XRD and FTIR show a systematic shifting of the characteristic bands/peaks with the increase in the graphite content, which indicates sufficient interaction between graphite and polyaniline. The UV-visible spectra also show the characteristic bands of polyaniline which shows the hypsochromic shift with the increase in the graphite content. Apart from their doped counterparts, these composites also show sufficient conductivities, even in the undoped forms.