Radiation induced dehydrochlorination as an in-situ doping technique for enhancement of the conductivity of polyaniline blends

In our earlier studies we have shown that acid doping in PANI/PVC blends can be achieved by radiation induced HCl release from PVC parts. In order to enhance radiation-induced acid doping process in PANI blends we have prepared solution cast films of PANI with the copolymers of vinylidene chloride with vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride. Homogeneous films obtained from these binary systems as well as from PANI/PVC blends were exposed to gamma rays under ambient conditions. The increase in the conductivity of initially non-conducting films was significant, reaching values of 10−2 S/cm from initial values of 10−7 S/cm upon irradiation to 500 kGy dose. Chemical changes leading to relatively high conductivities were investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy by following the changes taking place in 1149 cm−1 and 814 cm−1 bands which are indicative of conductivity and chlorine binding in polyaniline.