Macromolecules, Vol.39, No.21, 7324-7332, 2006
Synthesis and properties of optically active polyaniline carbon nanotube composites
The in-situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and (S)(+)-10-camphorsulfonic acid provides a route to optically active composite materials. Their chiroptical properties suggest that polymers and composite materials adopt similar optical properties indicative of "compact coil" in DMSO and "extended coil" in m-cresol. The optical activity in composite materials is preserved, although somewhat reduced to that of the pure polymer, which is attributed to the polymer phase coating nanotubes. This polymer phase is responsible for the lower electrical resistance observed for composite materials.