STUDIES ON POLY(ORTHO-METHOXYANILINE)

Poly(o-methoxyaniline) salts of different acids were obtained by peroxodisulfate oxidation of o-methoxyaniline. The results of TGA showed that the maximum mass loss and thermal stability depend on the anion in the range 270-560-degrees-C. The X-ray diffraction profile indicates that the polymer is a poorly crystalline and almost amorphous powder. The crystalline domain belongs to an orthorhombic crystal lattice with unit-cell dimensions of a = 7.15, b = 8.00, and c = 11.99 angstrom. The magnetic susceptibility shows the diamagnetic behavior of a polymer. Whereas optical spectra show pi --> pi* and inter-ring charge transfer bands. The shift in optical spectra is related to steric repulsion due to the OCH3 group. The electrical conductivity of poly(o-methoxyaniline) salts was measured as a function of temperature, and the activation energy of conductivity varies with anion. It is suggested from the temperature dependence of the conductivity that the conduction mechanism is possibly a small polaron hopping conduction and poly(o-methoxyaniline) salts undergo a thermally activated aging process resulting in a decrease in conductivity due to loss of water and interaction with atmospheric oxygen. The half-life of the decay of conductivity depends on the anion.