Investigation of polyaniline films produced by vacuum deposition method

Using FTIR and optical spectroscopy techniques, as well as electron scanning microscope, we investigated polyaniline films obtained by the method of fractional thermal vacuum deposition. The structure of produced polyaniline films depends essentially on the deposition temperature and molecular weight of the initial polymer. For a polymer with low molecular weight at temperature below 250°C a homogeneous oligomeric film is produced. At higher temperatures (higher than 300°C) linkages of oligomeric fragments occur leading to appearance of more complex structural formations. This is reflected in the morphology of films deposited at different temperatures. The films have a high transparency and relatively high, for polymers, index of refraction in the visible and near infrared ranges of spectrum.