A study on the influence of anionic surfactants on electrochemical degradation of polyaniline

The influence of anionic surfactants on the electrochemical degradation of polyaniline (PANI), deposited by electro-polymerization onto platinum electrodes, was investigated in an aqueous medium by means of cyclic voltammetry. The degradation rate was found to be greatly dependent on the pH of the solution. The electrochemical degradation of PANI/dodecylsulfate and PANI/dodecylbenzenesulfonate films was compared with that of a PANI/hydrochloride film. The degradation rate in the two former cases decreased by some 50% compared to the PANI/hydrochloride film in aqueous solution at pH = 2. The results were confirmed with theoretical calculations performed on the evaluation of head group charge of surfactants, the distance of anions from PANI positive sites and the shielding of anions on PANI positive sites.