Synthesis and characterization of poly (aniline-co-acrylonitrile) using organic benzoyl peroxide by inverted emulsion method

An inverted emulsion process was adopted to synthesize conducting copolymers of aniline and acrylonitrile using benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as a novel oxidizing agent. The influence of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) ratio on the properties of conducting copolymers is reported. The chemical structures of the copolymers were characterized spectroscopically by UV-Vis, FT-IR, Fr-Raman and EPR. The solubility of polyaniline (PAni) and PAni-PAN copolymers in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) was confirmed by electronic absorption spectra. The conductivity of these copolymers he in the range (1.26-4.20) x 10(-2) S/cm. TGA thermogram, of copolymers showed multi-step thermal degradation behaviour. X-ray scattering studies reflected that the copolymers are semicrystalline and showed two crystalline peaks at 17 and 25 (2theta). (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.