Chemical lithography of a conductive polymer using a traceless removable group

Polyaniline could be easily converted into nitrosated polyaniline by reaction with nitrite ion in acids. The product is soluble in common solvents and could be deposited into thin films. The nitrosated polyaniline could be back-converted into polyaniline by acid hydrolysis. On the basis of those properties, a simple chemical lithographic process to produce conductive polyaniline images is demonstrated.