Oxidative Polymerization of Aniline: Molecular Synthesis of Polyaniline and the Formation of Supramolecular Structures

PANI properties are determined by the regular structure of polymer chains.The polymer consists almost entirely of para-substituted monomer units coupled in the "head-to-tail" manner.The formation of organized supramolecular structures is also of great importance.Both these factors are responsible for the existence of elongated polyconjugated system and high conductivity of macroscopic sample (Skotheim & Reynolds, 2007).A great number of publications are devoted to the synthesis and study of nanostructured PANI forms (Zhang & Wang, 2006;Stejskal et al. 2010;Wan, 2009;Tran et al. 2009).As a rule, nanostructured materials possess high homogeneity, unique surface properties and high charge carrier mobility.Due to the development of nanotechnology, organized supramolecular structures are considered, first of all, as materials for molecular electronics.Nanostructured forms of PANI show a striking diversity.The polymer chains can form onedimensional structures (nanofibers, nanorods and nanotubes), planar two-dimensional objects (e.g., the so-called, ribbons, nanobelts and nanoplates) and three-dimensional particles (microspheres, nanospheres and granules).These main architectural elements may serve as a base for more complicated hierarchical formations such as flowers, urchins, branches, corals, "micromats", complex geometric figures.