Facile synthesis method of poly(3,5-dimethyoxyaniline) hollow microsphere through interfacial polymerisation approach using camphorsulfonic acid as the doping agent

A facile synthesis method of poly(3,5-dimethoxyaniline) (P(3,5-DMA)) hollow microspheres was demonstrated by the interfacial polymerisation of 3,5-dimethoxyaniline (3,5-DMA) using camphorsulfonic acid (CSA) as the doping agent and soft template. The obtained P(3,5-DMA) hollow microspheres possess narrow size distribution and uniform shape. A possible growth mechanism of the hollow microspheres was proposed through studying the change in morphologies of P(3,5-DMA) at different reaction times. It is believed that the slow diffusion speed of monomer from the oil phase to the water phase in the interfacial polymerisation system controls the progress of polymerisation. Moreover, the interaction between amino group of the monomer and the sulfonic acid group of the doping agent micelle guides the formation of the hollow microspheres.