Electrochemical preparation of electrically conducting polyurethane/polyaniline composite

Abstract

Abstract Composite films from polyaniline (PANi) and polyurethane (PU), with flexibility and mechanical strength similar to pure PU and conductivity close to pure PANi, have been obtained by electropolymerizing amiline on a PU/Pt electrode in water/acetonitrile/ethylen glycol electrolyte solution. In the composite films, PANi is dispersed, in the form of particulate, inside and on the inner surface of the PU substrates. It is found that the electropolymerization reaction of aniline proceeds much faster in basic solution and composite film as prepared shows higher conductivity than that in acidic solution. PANi in PU/PANi composite film is protonic‐acid‐doped and is conducting even in case it is electropolymerized in a basic electrolyte solution.