Polyaniline nanotubes doped with polymeric acids

Self-assembled polyaniline (PANI) nanotubes were prepared in the presence of three different polymeric acids as dopants, namely poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSSA), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic acid) (PMVEA) by oxidative polymerization using ammonium persulfate as the oxidant. The molecular structure of polymeric acids had a significant effect on the morphology and size of the polyaniline nanotubes as determined by SEM. The PANI nanotubes were also characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.