Date of Award
6-2014
Document Type
Union College Only
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Department
Chemistry
First Advisor
Michael E. Hagerman
Language
English
Keywords
polymer, sensors, solar cells, polyaniline
Abstract
Polyaniline (PANI) is a highly conductive polymer that offers promise for use in sensors, light emitting diodes and solar cells. In order to achieve widespread commercial success, polyaniline needs to be water processable. Relying upon PANI’s natural ability to adhere to reaction vessels, we have produced polyaniline via in situ film formation. We believe that control over film formation is crucial to achieving a water-processable, environmentally friendly route to PANI‐based devices. To this end we have employed Laponite nanoparticles, vanadium oxide, and varied morphosynthetic conditions to exert control over the growth of polyaniline and tune the dimensionality and nanomorphology of polyaniline nanomaterials. We have studied the resulting nanomaterials via atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and UV/Vis spectroscopy. Our results indicate the successful syntheses of conductive polyaniline nanoparticles that exhibit electronic and morphological differences that stem from variations in the synthetic pathways.
Recommended Citation
Mondshein, Jared, "Morphology and Electronic Characterization of Polyaniline: A Synthetic Metal for Photovoltaics" (2014). Honors Theses. 561.
https://digitalworks.union.edu/theses/561