Preparation and characterization of polyaniline/chitosan blend film

Abstract

Blend films consisting of a chitosan hydrogel and a conductive polymer, polyaniline (PANI), were prepared and characterized for their electrical and mechanical properties. The polyaniline in emeraldine base (EB) form was blended with chitosan solution and the blend films were obtained by solution casting. The PANI in the blend films were then doped by HCI solution. The blend films exhibited good mechanical properties with appreciable electrical conductivity in the order of 10-4 S/cm. The electrical and mechanical properties of the blend films depended on polyaniline content in the composites and the conditions of the doping process: acid type, acid concentration and doping time. The blend films also found the potential application in medicine for electrically controlled release of drugs.