Polymerization of aniline through simultaneous chemical and electrochemical routes

Simultaneous chemical and electrochemical polymerization of aniline was investigated to explore the competition between two polymerization routes. It was found that initial chemical polymerization may significantly affect the electrochemical polymerization; thus, it is possible to control the polymer morphology. By performing the electropolymerization with slow scans, the initial chemical polymerization results in the formation of a nanostructured backbone, which will also affect subsequent electropolymerization (even in the absence of chemical polymerization). By this trick, it is possible to prepare highly porous and uniform nanostructured polyaniline film adherently attached to the substrate surface. In fact, chemically synthesized polyaniline nano-particles acts as growth sites for electrochemical polymerization, and in appropriate condition, numerous sites are formed instead of their continuous growth.