Synthesis and properties of electroactive polyaniline-graft-poly(2-hydroxy ethyl metacrylate) copolymers

In this paper we report on the synthesis of a polyaniline-graft-poly(2-hydroxy ethyl metacrylate), which was obtained by atom-transfer radical polymerization of 2-hydroxy ethyl metacrylate using polyaniline as a macroinitiator. The latter was prepared by chemical oxidation (interfacial method) and further modification. Macroinitiator and graft copolymer were characterized by FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images showed the growing of poly(2-hydroxy ethyl metacrylate) chains on polyaniline backbone. The solubility test revealed that the polyaniline-graft-poly(2-hydroxyethyl metacrylate) copolymer is water soluble and some organic solvents soluble. The cyclic voltammetry study confirmed the electroactivity of the copolymer.