Synthesis and characterization of polyaniline microspheres doped with ferrocene sulfonic acid

With an average diameter of 300-500 nm, conducting microspheres of polyaniline (PANT) were synthesized successfully by a self-assembly method in the presence of ferrocene sulfonic acid (FcSO(3)H) as the dopant, and ammonium persulfate ((NH4)(2)S2O8) as the oxidant. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) proved that the microspheres of PANI-FcSO(3)H synthesized by a self-assembly process were hollow ones. And the backbone structure of obtained PANI-FcSO(3)H was characterized by FTIR spectrum. The effect of synthetic conditions, such as the molar ratio of FcSO(3)H to aniline (An) and the reaction temperature, on the morphology and size was also investigated.