Development and characterization of composites based on polyaniline and modified microcrystalline cellulose with anhydride maleic as platforms for electrochemical trials

In this study, a new material, i.e., composite PANI(MAC) based on polyaniline (PANI) and microcrystalline cellulose modified with maleic anhydride (MAC), was generated in the form of thin films immobilized on indium tin oxide (ITO) slides using a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. For comparison, thin films of PANI in the absence of MAC were also prepared under the same conditions as those for PANI(MAC). Characterization of PANI(MAC) by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy showed that MAC acts as an organic acid that promotes secondary doping of PANI, as evidenced by the appearance of an absorption broadband at 900 nm. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements revealed this same effect: the current density values obtained for the PANI(MAC) film were higher than those obtained for PANI in the absence of MAC. Studies on the behavior of the PANI and PANI(MAC) films at different pH values revealed that the PANI(MAC) films required a higher pH to generate electroactivity, which was not required for the reference films. Stability testing of the PANI(MAC) films revealed that their electrochemical profiles did not change after 3 months; this indicates that the presence of cellulose in the film did not accelerate degradation of the polyaniline.