Self-assembled polyaniline nanorods synthesized by facile route of dispersion polymerization

We report the preparation of ordered polyaniline nanorod arrays by a simple method without the use of any template. The synthesis method is by a chemical route, viz. dispersion polymerization of aniline in polyvinyl alcohol. The nanorods obtained have a diameter of 100-500 nm and a length of a few micrometers. Films containing the nanorod assembly have been characterized by SEM, XRD and FTIR spectroscopy. We have also measured I-V characteristics and the temperature dependence of the conductivity of the films. We discuss the formation mechanism of the self-assembled nanostructures, the morphology of the films, and the crystallinity and the transport mechanism. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.