Sisal Fibers Coated with Conducting Polyaniline: Property and Structural Studies

Abstract

Sisal (Agave sisalana) fiber was extracted by manual process. These fibers were subjected to surface coating with conducting polyaniline, through in situ oxidative polymerization. The polyaniline modified sisal fibers were characterized by thermal, spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. It was shown that the fiber was coated with polyaniline through in situ oxidative polymerization and the latter had a smoothing effect on the surface as compared to uncoated sisal fiber. Besides, it was confirmed that polyaniline was deposited in conductive form of emeraldine salt. This in turn verified the introduction of active functionalities to the system, which is helpful to tune up surface chemistry of polyaniline for water treatment applications.