Synthesis and characterization of electrically conducting polyaniline-TCNE complexes

Abstract

Polyaniline-tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) complexes can be synthesized either from emeraldine base or emeraldine hydrochloride by a relatively simple method. The complexes demonstrate greater stability than the emeraldine hydrochloride at elevated temperatures and under high current densities. The electrical conductivity of the complexes synthesized from emeraldine base can be varied from < 10-6 to 0.2 S/cm by varying the amount of TCNE incorporated. The complexes synthesized from emeraldine hydrochloride are slightly more conductive than the starting emeraldine hydrochloride. In both types of complexes, it appears that electron transfer between the polyaniline and TCNE has occurred resulting in the formation of some positively charged polyaniline nitrogen and TCNE anions.