High yield and facile microwave-assisted synthesis of conductive H2SO4 doped polyanilines

Abstract The microwave-assisted synthesis of polyaniline (PANI) was performed using ammonium persulphate (APS) as oxidizing agent in 0.5 M–2.5 M concentration range of aqueous sulphuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) at 93 W applied microwave power of 10 min duration. The microwave (MW) synthesized PANIs had 3 times higher yield in comparison to PANI samples prepared using a classical method, CS (0 W MW power) at the same temperature for 10 min synthesis duration period. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and UV–Vis spectroscopies confirmed the formation of PANI structure in all products. The influence of H 2 SO 4 acid dopant on the spin concentration of MW and CS H 2 SO 4 doped PANI samples were examined by EPR spectroscopy, while the morphological characteristics were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD results showed amorphous phases in both MW and CS H 2 SO 4 doped PANI samples. Conductivity measurements revealed ∼1.5 times higher conductivity values for MW H 2 SO 4 doped PANI samples in comparison with PANI samples prepared by the CS method under same condition. The influence of sulfate anion in comparison to chloride anion as a dopant on morphological, dopant levels and conductivity properties of MW PANI samples were also investigated.