Preparation and characterization of conducting polyaniline fibers

A series of polyaniline(PAni) fibers were spun using a new type of Gemini surfactant (6, 6′-(butyl-1, 4-diylbis(oxy)) bis(3-nonylbenzenesulfonic acid, 9BA-4-9BA) as dopant and dichloroacetic acid (DCA) as solvent. Their properties were compared with those of PAni fibers spun from the PAni solutions doped by 2-acrylamido-2-methyl- 1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPSA) in DCA. The influence of PAni molecular weight, concentration, dopant and coagulant types, and drawing on the morphology and conductivity of resulting PAni fibers was studied. As a result, the conductivity of PAni fibers prepared from 14% AMPSA-doped PAni solutions in DCA and using acetone as coagulant is 1.77 S/cm. The conductivity of PAni fibers prepared from 14% 9BA-4-9BA-doped PAni solutions in DCA and using 1 mol/L 9BA-4-9BA in acetone as coagulant is 0.39 S/cm and 1.14 S/cm, for nascent fibers and the fibers after drawn 1 time, respectively.