Polyaniline film deposition from the oxidative polymerization of aniline using K2Cr2O7

The deposition of the polyaniline (PANI) films was monitored using the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. The films were grown from an aqueous dilute hydrochloric acid solution by the chemical oxidation of aniline using potassium dichromate (KDC). The effect of the initial molar ratio of the KDC/aniline on the yield and the growth rate of the PANI films were studied. There is no optimum initial molar ratio of KDC/aniline of PANI film deposition. Also there was a small depletion period and no degradation to the deposited PANI films. The order of the polymerization kinetics was studied with respect to KDC. The UV-visible spectra of the PANI films grown onto a glass support immersed into the bulk solution were measured. The absorption of the PANI film with the time of polymerization was compared to the growth of the PANI film thickness with time determined from the QCM technique. The characteristics of the PANI film deposition were compared to the corresponding ones that were observed during the oxidative polymerization of aniline with ammonium persulphate (APS).