Electrochemical polymerization and electric property of polyaniline

The electrochemical method was used to polymerize the polyaniline (PANI). The PANI growth was affected by the polymerization solution with or without Zn²⁺ ions, leading to polymerization of different electrochemical properties. We examined the effect of Zn²⁺ ions in the electrochemical polymerization, and found that PANI, complexing with Zn²⁺ ions, might be in the structure of transition state. The electric property was characterized by a potentiometer. The different I-V curves, from semiconductor like behavior to rectifying behavior, were dependent on the different cycle numbers of PANI polymerization. Rectification mechanism might be related to the asymmetric distribution of different oxidation states.