Chracterization of polyaniline using chromatographic studies

Protonation of polyaniline-coated silica stationary phase affects the retention behavior of neutral hydrophobic solutes in reversed-phase capillary liquid chromatography

Because of its high conductivity when acid doped, polyaniline is known as a synthetic metal and is used in a wide range of applications, such as supercapacitors, biosensors, electrochromic devices, or solar and fuel cells. Emeraldine is the partly oxidized, stable form of polyaniline, consisting of alternating diaminobenzenoid and iminoquinoid segments. When acidified, the nitrogen atoms of emeraldine become protonated. Due to electrostatic repulsion between positive charges, the polarity and morphology of emeraldine chains presumably change; however, the protonation effects on emeraldine have not yet been clarified. Thus, we investigated these changes by reversed-phase capillary liquid chromatography using a linear solvation energy relationship approach to assess differences in dominant retention interactions under a significantly varied mobile phase pH. We observed that hydrophobicity dominates the intermolecular interactions under both acidic and alkaline eluent conditions, albeit to different extents. Therefore, by tuning the mobile phase pH, we can even modulate the retention of neutral hydrophobic solutes, such as aromatic hydrocarbons, because the pH-dependent charge and structure of polymer chains of the emeraldine-coated silica stationary phase show a mixed-mode separation mechanism.

Development and characterisation of switchable polyaniline-functionalised flow-through capillary monoliths

Polymer monoliths were prepared in capillary format (250 μm i.d.) and used as solid supports for the immobilisation of the conducting polymer polyaniline (PANI).

Characterisation of the chromatographic properties of a silica-polypyrrole composite stationary phase by inverse liquid chromatography

Silica-polypyrrole particles have been used as a composite stationary phase for liquid chromatography. Determination of capacity factors (k') of a wide number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecular probes allows the characterisation of the chromatographic properties of the silica-polypyrrole stationary phase. Capacity factors in the range of 0.10 up to 6.1 were determined, thus demonstrating the high affinity of the PAH probes towards the stationary phase. The selectivity of the composite stationary phase was also evaluated as a function of the planarity of the molecular probes injected. Capacity factors determined for PAHs (two-dimensional molecular probes) are higher than those measured for phenyl-substituted PAHs (phenyl-PAHs, three-dimensional molecular probes). Determination of capacity factors, dependence on the composition of the mobile phase demonstrates the reverse alpha-phase properties of the composite stationary phase. The acid-base properties of the composite silica-polypyrrole stationary phase were investigated using benzene derivative molecular probes (i.e., toluene, phenol, benzoic acid and aniline). Capacity factors in the range of 0.45 to 1.0 were determined. This study clearly demonstrates that this composite stationary phase exhibits selective interactions towards PAHs and phenyl-substituted PAHs and strong acid-base properties depending on the structure, the geometry and the acid-base properties of the molecular probes eluted.