NOVEL PVA PROTON CONDUCTING MEMBRANES DOPED WITH POLYANILINE GENERATED BY IN-SITU POLYMERIZATION

Abstract The main objective of this study consists in developing a new solid electrolyte gel-based type composite with acrylic acid (AA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). These novel PVA conducting membranes containing polyaniline (PANI) were synthesized via in-situ polymerization of aniline (AN). The morphology and electrical properties of PVA/AA/AN/APS/MBA membranes were investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) respectively. These characterization studies reveal structural interactions between PANI and PVA due to channeling microstructure organization which thereby lead to an increase in proton conductivity up to 80%. Thus obtained PANI–PVA novel membranes could be used in semiconductor type applications.