Polyaniline/polyurethane networks. II. A spectroscopic study

The interconnection of polyaniline (Pani) chains through polyurethane (PU) blocks of the same length but with different spacing has originated a series of new semi conducting networks of varying crosslinking density, with good mechanical properties. FTIR, UV–Vis–NIR, XPS and EPR were used to probe the molecular features of the conducting species, and to test the morphological model proposed in a previous publication, where a continuous Pani phase percolates a PU matrix, linked together by a mixed interphase. Blends with the same composition of the networks and a model structure of crosslinked Pani were also prepared for comparison purposes. The proposed morphological model was confirmed by the new findings obtained by the spectroscopic techniques. The differences between the blends and networks of the same composition were discussed in terms of the morphology presented by each of these systems.