Synthesis of polysaccharide/polyaniline composites by sol–gel method

In this study, we report a novel synthesis technique for polysaccharides and conducting polymer composites. A series of polysaccharide/polyaniline composites were prepared via double-step polymerization by a sol–gel method developed herein. The chemical structure and the electronic properties of the composites were analyzed through Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet–visible, and electron spin resonance spectroscopies. Composites with long effective conjugation lengths were obtained because the gelatinized polysaccharide acted as a template and host for the composite.