Infrared surface plasmon polariton on polyaniline-graphite composite

Conducting polymers are potentially useful materials in sensor applications. Polyaniline is one of the most promising of these materials due to high conductivity and plasma frequencies as high as the mid-infrared. The application of this material is still limited because of low conductivity. In this paper, we chemically prepared a composite of co-doped polyaniline with hydrochloric acid and MSA (methane sulfonic acid) in aqueous solution with both colloidal and nano-graphite. Solutions of the composite material were prepared in m-cresol and NMP (N-mthyle-2-pyrrolidone), which are common organic solvents. This approach resulted in material with conductivity higher than either intrinsic polyaniline or graphite alone. The solution of the composite was spin coated on suitable substrates. The thicknesses of the films were measured using atomic force microscope (AFM). Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and micro-Raman spectra were collected to confirm the composition and determine the infrared thickness. Surface plasmon resonances for grating patterns of this composite material were calculated using experimental determined infrared (IR) ellipsometry data. The goal is to identify a material which has potential application for surface plasmons resonance sensing with high sensitivity and selectivity in IR range.