Acacia stabilized polyaniline dispersions: preparation, properties and blending with poly(vinyl alcohol)

Polyaniline (PANI) dispersion in water has been prepared by using industrially produced and cheaper stabilizer, namely gum acacia — dried exudates from a species of acacia tree. Gum acacia stabilized PANI particles can be easily isolated from the aniline polymerization reaction mixture and then re-dispersed in water. By increasing the content of gum acacia — in the polyaniline-gum acacia (PANI-ACACIA) redispersable composite from 42 to 70 wt.% it is possible to diminish the average particle diameter from 450 nm to 200 nm and lower its size distribution. The suitability of the dispersion for blending with water-soluble polymers, such as for example poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) has also been tested. The composite PANI-ACACIA containing 60 wt.% of gum acacia has yielded the best blends with PVA with the conductivity in the range of 10− 4 to 10− 5 S/cm.