Synthesis of polyaniline microrods with high microwave absorption behaviours

A facile method to prepare polyaniline (PANI)/toluene-p-sulphonic acid (TSA) microrods guided by poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) was developed. The structure of the PANI microrods was characterised by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The average length and diameter of the microrods were about 25 and 7 µm, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of PVP concentration on morphology of the PANI was further investigated in detail. It showed that the morphology transferred from spheres to rods with increase in concentration. Moreover, the electrical and microwave absorption properties of products with various morphology (spheres and rods) were compared. And the result showed that the microrods products had higher electrical and microwave absorption properties compared with spherical products.