New polyaniline(PAni)-polyelectrolyte (PDDMAC) composites: Synthesis and applications

Conducting and electroactive polymer blends of polyaniline (PAni) with polyelectrolyte, poly(diallydimethylammoniumchloride) (PDDMAC) have been synthesized by an in situ polymerization method and the resulting composites have been characterized by FT-IR, UV–Vis, XRD, AFM and electrochemical techniques. The blends are conducting and electroactive with even lower loadings of PAni and can be cast as films. The conductivity of the cast films containing 0.04–1.5 wt% PAni ranged from 4.5 × 10⁻⁶ to 42 × 10⁻⁶ S/cm. Some of the composites are tested for their corrosion inhibition property for pure iron in 1 M HCl solutions and were found to be active inhibitors.