Processible polyaniline complexes due to molecular recognition: Supramolecular structures based on hydrogen bonding and phenyl stacking

Abstract We show that sulphonic acid doped polyaniline (PANI) can be plasticized using certain low-acidic organic compounds consisting of ring structures and hydrogen bonding moieties that are able to “recognize” the complementary moieties of the doped PANI. The achieved synergistic combination of interactions consists of phenyl stacking, hydrogen bonding and charge transfer due to protonation. Fusible electrically conducting supramolecular structures are rendered, as suggested also by quantum chemical calculations. For example, PANI doped by methanesulphonic acid, toluenesulpnonic acid, dodecylbenzenesulphonic acid, or camphorsulphonic acid can be plasticized by dihydroxybenzenes and bisphenols to obtain fusible particle-free films at the resolution of optical microscope. The generalization to other plasticizers and other aromatic polymers, such as polypyrrole, is obvious.