J‐Like Supramolecular Assemblies of Polyaniline in Water

Abstract

The consideration of polyaniline (PANI) as a supramolecular assembly similar to J‐aggregates of dyes is proposed. Fibrils with a length of more than 100 nm and a diameter of about 4 nm are formed in water during aniline polymerization, as shown by small‐angle X‐ray scattering. Long‐wavelength absorption of the fibrils, red‐shifted with respect to highly crystalline PANI film supports the idea about the formation of J‐aggregates. Their formation, similar to dyes, is promoted by the addition of a sulfonated polyelectrolyte and becomes more pronounced with an increase of the molar mass of the polyelectrolyte. Self‐organization of aniline oligomers in a polar environment is confirmed by atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. image