Nanostructured and Electroactive Hybrid Films Containing Microcrystalline Cellulose Modified with the Phosphate Group: Synthesis and Characterization

Abstract

Nanostructured and electroactive hybrid films containing Microcrystalline Cellulose (MC) modified with the phosphate group (MCPO4) and polyaniline (PANI) were prepared using the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) self-assembly technique. In the preparation process of the films cellulose was dispersed in the solution of PANI and the film with PVS/PANI(MCPO4) structure was immobilized on ITO substrate. In order to investigate the influence of the phosphate group on the electrochemical behavior of the film, films were also prepared replacing the modified cellulose (MCPO4) by unmodified cellulose (MC), forming the PVS/PANI(MC) films. Subsequently, all films were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), and the results showed the redox processes characteristic of PANI, but the presence of CMPO4 promotes an increase in the values of current density observed for the PVS/PANI(MCPO4) film when compared to the PVS/PANI(MC) film. This is probably due to a self-doping process of the polymer in the presence of phosphate groups.