Electromembrane from polyelectrolyte complex of polyaniline and carboxymethylcellulose

Abstract

338-341A Composite membrane of polyaniline and carboxymethylcellulose has been prepared. The polyaniline in the membrane exists in the conducting state even at pH as high as 6.5, due to the Donnan effect. At high ionic strength, the polyaniline changes to the nonconducting state, but the rate is slow enough to make application of the membrane at high pH possible. It has been shown that the degree of protonation of polyaniline changes the permeability of the membrane. Further, we have proposed that for composites like polyaniline-carboxymethylcellulose, the permeability can be changed by changing the oxidation state of the conducting polymer, thereby changing the crosslinking between the polymer components