Chemical polymerization of aniline using periodic acid in acetonitrile

The chemical polymerization of aniline in anhydrous medium was investigated using periodic acid, H5IO6 as an oxidant. This is the first time that H5IO6 has been used as an oxidant in the chemical synthesis of conductive polymers. The product was characterized by FTIR, UV–vis spectroscopies, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, and electrical conductivity measurements. EDX and thermogravimetric analysis showed that Pani includes ClO4− and iodine or iodide ion as dopants. Electrical conductivity of polyaniline with H5IO6 was measured as 100 S cm−1. H5IO6 oxidant produces first IO3− and then I2. Therefore, it could ensure both oxidation of aniline by IO3− and then doping polyaniline with I2, without any residual oxidant contamination. I2, which is a well known extrinsic dopant, was produced intrinsically in this study. Thus, H5IO6 was found to be an effective oxidant material for the chemical polymerization of aniline.