Electroless surface polymerization of ordered conducting polyaniline films on aniline-primed substrates

Ordered conducting polyaniline films were obtained by electroless surface polymerization of aniline molecules on C6H5NHC3H6Si(OMe)3-modified substrates. Dense, smooth and strongly adhered films with thickness in the range of 50 nm to 1 μm were isolated. The polymer films were in their conducting state and were homogeneously doped. Complete protonating/deprotonating of polyaniline films took only several seconds, and this process could be repeated several times without affecting the adhesion and conductivity of the polymer films. Infrared, X-ray diffractometer and transmission electron microscopy data revealed the ordering of polyaniline chains, which have the domain size of a couple of hundred angstroms. The room temperature conductivity of the 1 μm polyaniline film was 0.5 S/cm. These polymer films were very stable, their conductivities did not change even after staying in ambient atmosphere for 4 months.