Measurement on the structural, morphological, electrical and optical properties of PANI-CSA nanofilms

Camphorsulfonic acid doped polyaniline (PANI-CSA) prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization is spin coated on glass plates with four different PANI:CSA weight ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:4 and 1:8) and measurements on the structural and optical properties are done. Thickness of the films measured <100 nm are termed as nanofilms. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the presence of dopant and an increase in degree of polymerization with increase in dopant ratio. X-ray diffraction studies revealed the change of amorphous nature of the film to crystalline nature with increase in CSA dopant ratio. Scanning electron microscopy showed the change of very smooth morphology of the film to rough root-like morphology with increase in CSA dopant ratio. Hall-effect analysis showed that the increase in CSA weight ratio appreciably increases the conductivity of PANI-CSA films due to increase in carrier concentration and it also represents the semiconductivity (P-type) nature in all the films. UV-visible absorption studies reveal the broadening of absorption spectrum in visible region with maximum CSA dopant ratio (1:8). Photoluminescence spectra of PANI-CSA films excited using 300 nm, revealed that the change in intensity and position of emission peaks are due to transition of semiconducting nature of the film to conducting nature with an increase in CSA dopant ratio from 1:1 to 1:8.