Polymerization method and product

Abstract

Methods of preparing a polyaniline homopolymer or copolymer comprising at least one carboxylic acid group, and homopolymers or copolymers arising therefrom, the methods comprising: preparing a solution of a polyaniline precursor having at least one aromatic amine group and at least one carboxylic acid group (eg. 2-aminobenzoic acid, 3-aminobenzoic acid or 4-aminobenzoic acid) in a solvent selected from aqueous methanesulfonic acid or aqueous ammonia and optionally one or more additional polyaniline precursors (such as aniline); and oxidatively polymerising the polyaniline precursor or precursors.

The claims defining the invention are as follows: 
     
         1 . A polyaniline homopolymer or copolymer prepared by the method comprising:
 preparing an acidic or near neutral (pH 7-8) solution of 15% by weight or higher of a first polyaniline precursor having at least one aromatic amine group and at least one carboxylic acid group in a solvent selected from the group consisting of aqueous methanesulfonic acid and aqueous ammonia;   wherein said solution optionally includes one or more additional polyaniline precursors;   oxidatively polymerizing said solution and additional polyaniline precursors if present;   finally collecting precipitated polyaniline by filtration.   
     
     
         2 . A polyaniline homopolymer as in  claim 1  wherein the polyaniline precursor is selected from 2-aminobenzoic acid, 3-aminobenzoic acid, or 4-aminobenozic acid. 
     
     
         3 . A polyaniline random copolymer as in  claim 1  wherein the first polyaniline precursor is selected from either 2-aminobenzoic acid, 3-aminobenzoic acid, or 4-aminobenzoic acid and the second polyaniline precursor is aniline. 
     
     
         4 . A polyaniline random copolymer as in  claim 3  composed of 3ABA and aniline monomers. 
     
     
         5 . A polyaniline random copolymer as in  claim 3  wherein the monomer ratio of 3ABA and aniline monomers is 1:1. 
     
     
         6 . A polyaniline random copolymer as in  claim 3  wherein the monomer ratio of 3ABA acid to aniline is from 3:1 to 1:3. 
     
     
         7 . A polyaniline random copolymer as in  claim 3  composed of 2ABA and aniline monomers 
     
     
         8 . A polyaniline random copolymer as in  claim 3  wherein the monomer ratio of 2ABA acid to aniline is 1:1. 
     
     
         9 . A polyaniline random copolymer as in  claim 3  wherein the monomer ratio of 2ABA and aniline monomers is from 3:1 to 1:3 
     
     
         10 . A polyaniline random copolymer as in  claim 3  composed of 4ABA and aniline monomers 
     
     
         11 . A polyaniline random copolymer as in  claim 3  wherein the monomer ratio of 4ABA acid to aniline is 1:1. 
     
     
         12 . A polyaniline random copolymer as in  claim 3  wherein the monomer ratio of 4ABA and aniline monomers is from 3:1 to 1:3.