Synthesis and properties of N-functionalised polyanlines

Novel conducting N-functionalised polyanilines have been synthesised and investigated in order to study the use of liquid crystal alignment to produce higher conductivity. Four liquid crystals with different length spacer groups were synthesized. They were N-substituted on emeraldine base form of polyaniline and were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, conductivity measurements and other spectroscopy techniques. Study of these liquid crystalline conducting polyanilines showed that molecules with even spacer length were liquid crystalline whereas the ones with odd spacer length when substituted on polymer backbone. The emeraldine base was also subjected to N-substitution with alkyl bromide groups. Surprisingly, polymer with odd number of alkyl group showed better conductivity range than the even ones at 2.5 x 10[sup]-5 Sm[sup]-1. The emeraldine base form of polyaniline was produced via base reaction with emeraldine salt form of polyaniline. The emeraldine base was fully characterised by spectroscopic by spectroscopic analysis.