Conducting films obtained by electro-oxidation of p-aminodiphenylamine (ADPA) in the presence of aniline in buffer aqueous solution at pH 5

Abstract

The electrochemical oxidation of aniline and p-aminodiphenylamine (ADPA) was carried out in a phosphate buffer solution at pH 5. Cyclic voltammetry and ‘‘in situ’’ FTIR spectroscopy were combined to study the redox behavior of the oxidation products. When ADPA is oxidized in the presence of aniline, two redox processes are observed. One of these redox processes is related to a soluble species, while the other pertains to a species attached to the electrode surface. Only those films synthesized from ADPA oxidation in the presence of aniline are electroactive in this buffered medium. No evidence pointing to the occurrence of autocatalytic polymerization exists under the experimental conditions employed.