Nanostructured aniline oxidation products: self-assembled films at the air/liquid interface.

With the use of the "falling pH" approach, the free floating films obtained at the air/liquid interface during aniline oxidative polymerization in the presence of hydrochloric acid have been reported and characterized for the first time. The surface of the films is compact and consists of small densely packed particles (around 10-20 nm in diameter). In addition to the free floating films the precipitation of various self-assembled nanostructures was also observed. The thickness of the films depends on the concentration of the reactants and ranges from 40 to 50 nm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy results imply that 3D nanostructures are physically adsorbed onto the film and that they represent two separated phases. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and UV-vis measurements have confirmed the presence of polyaniline and branched oligoanilines. On the basis of an orientation distribution of H(2)O and aniline molecules at the air/liquid interface and with the use of the cooperative effect of hydrogen-bond formation, a mechanism for film growth has been proposed. Three samples are synthesized in the presence of different acids-nitric, sulfuric, and acetic. The SEM and FTIR data showed similar morphologies and structural characteristics. This implies that the morphology and structure of the final products depend on the acidity conditions (pH) during the reaction rather than on the nature of the dopant acid.