Electrical Conductivity Studies of Polyaniline Nanotubes Doped with Different Sulfonic Acids

Abstract

Self-assembled polyaniline (PANI) nanotubes were prepared in the presence of three different sulfonic acids as dopant, namely, p-toluenesulfonic acid, camphorsulfonic acid, and tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin, by oxidative polymerization using ammonium peroxydisulfate as the oxidant. The morphology of the PANI nanotubes was determined by SEM and TEM and the electrical conductivity was measured as a function of temperature. The PANI nanotubes were also characterized by FTIR, XRD, UV-Vis, and cyclic voltammetry. We have found that the dopants had a noteworthy effect on the electrical conductivity whithout significant changes in the morphology of the PANI nanotubes.