Module1:PolyanilineNanofibers

LessonImplementationGuide

Module1:Electricallyconductiveplastics(PANinanofiber)

Themodulehelpstudentsdevelopanappreciationfornanotechnologyandpolymermolecular
structureinadditiontotraditionalacid/basepHrelatedprinciplesandelectricalconductivity
foundinhighschoolsciencecurriculum.

Essentials
PriorKnowledge
Redoxdefinitionsandprocesses
Oxidationandreduction
acidbasechemistry
pHchangesareduetoH+differencesandhenceedifferences
relationshipbetweenvoltage,current,andresistance
circuitorbatterysetup
propertiesofmatterandcomplexpolymers
conductors,insulators
basicbondingstructureandfunctionalgroups
conjugatedsystems
chromophores
Standards
Curriculum Alignment
KeyConcepts
Chemicalstructure(morphologyandelectronicarrangement)influences
propertiesofmatter.
Oxidationandreductioncanalterthestructureandpropertiesofmatter

Engage
15mindemonstration/video
(1) CondensationpolymerizationofNylon
(a) DemoProcedure
(i)
PDF
(b) Videos
(i)
ElementaryProductions:Nylonsynthesis
(ii)
RoyalSocietyofChemistryNylonSynthesis

(2) DemoofColorChangebasedonpHdifferences(andchangeinoxidation
stateofcompound)
(a) Video:ChemicalChameleon
(b) VideoTomatoJuiceRainbow

(c) Procedure1
and
Procedure2

Explore
Inquirylevellaboractivity(Optional):

2
3
MolecularModeling
AtomicOrbitalHybridization(sp,sp
,sp
)andMolecularOrbital

Theory(bandgapenergy),conjugatedpolymers
Propertiesofmattermetals,nonmetals,metalloids,polymers
Examplesofeachtypeofmatterinordertotest/verifythepropertiesi.e
conductivity,solubility,etc
BuildanElectrochemicalCell
GalvanicvsElectrolytic
Buildacircuit
Investigatetherelationshipbetweenvoltageandresistance,usedifferent
materialstocreatethemostefficientcircuit
Concept=OhmsLaw

StudentPolyanilineNanofiberProcedure

Explain
Teacherandstudentcollaborationusingpreviousexplorationphaseknowledge
Studentsknowhowacidbaseindicatorschangecolorinthepresenceorabsenceof
hydroniumions.However,cantheyconnectthisacidbasechemistrytothepolyaniline
colorchangechemistry?Specifically,howwhydoindicatorschangecolorinthe
presenceofexcessacidorexcessbase?
Example
:Asthecolorlessformofphenolphthaleinisexposedtoincreasingly
alkalineconditions,thedegreeofdelocalization(pibondconjugation)acrossthe
moleculechanges.Thisincreasedconjugationtranslatestoashiftinabsorption
toalongerwavelength,duetothesmallerenergygapbetweentheHOMOand
LUMO.Thisresultsinlesserenergyrequiredtoexcitetheelectron,soalonger
wavelengthoflightisabsorbed.

HowdoesthisrelatetoPAni?
+
Asthesolutionofbecomeslessacidic,theprotons(H
)aredetachedfromthe
moleculeandthischangestheconjugationofdoublebonds(pibonds)acrossallofthe
cyclicringsofthestructure,whichresultsinabsorptionoflongerwavelengthsoflight
andreflectionofshorterwavelengthsoflight.
Imagesfrom
http://www.chemguide.co.uk/analysis/uvvisible/theory.html

Elaborate
extensionofconceptualunderstanding,allowsthemtopractice
theirskills,obtainmoreinformationaboutareasofinterest
Possible Curriculum Integration
Spectroscopic analysis:

A spectroscopic analysis can be an additional aspect of the experiment. The

relationship between the transmitted color and the electronic absorbance spectrum is
easy to establish.
1. Graphical analysis of Absorbance vs Wavelength
(varying the forms via
conductivity differences OR pH differences)
a. Every chemical compound absorbs, transmits, or reflects light
(electromagnetic radiation) over a certain range of wavelength.
Spectrophotometry is a measurement of how much a chemical substance
absorbs or transmits.
b. In visible spectrophotometry, the absorption or the transmission of a
certain substance can be determined by the observed color. When sample
molecules are exposed to light having an energy that matches a possible
electronic transition within the molecule, some of the light energy will be
absorbed as the electron is promoted to a higher energy orbital. An optical
spectrometer records the wavelengths at which absorption occurs,
together with the degree of absorption at each wavelength. The resulting
spectrum is presented as a graph of absorbance (A) versus wavelength,

c. Color wheel
d. This is a fantastic website that shows relationships and talks through
chromophores and how it relates to colored substances, etc. Must read !
http://www2.chemistry.msu.edu/faculty/reusch/VirtTxtJml/Spectrpy/UV-vis/
spectrum.htm
i. Green is unique in that it can be created by absorption close to 400
nm as well as absorption near 800 nm.

e. FYI - A common feature of all these colored compounds/pigments,

displayed below, is a system of
extensively conjugated pi-electrons
.

f. Relation to Wavelength and Frequency

i. The energy associated with a given segment of the spectrum is
proportional to its frequency. The bottom equation describes this
relationship, which provides the energy carried by a photon of a
given wavelength of radiation.

ii.
iii.

Wavelength and Frequency Calculator App

1. To obtain specific frequency, wavelength and energy values
use
this calculator
https://www2.chemistry.msu.edu/faculty/reusch/virttxtjml/cnv
calc.htm

g. Relation to Beers Law

- once youve achieved the optimal wavelength to
measure absorbance at, you can think about how this relates to Beers
Law A= abc, and what variables would alter Absorbance.
i. Change the color of nanofibers by altering pH of solution
2. Circuits with Resistors , Current (Amps), and Voltage with diagrams
a. Links
i.
http://www.frankshospitalworkshop.com/electronics/training_c
ourse_ohms_law.html
ii.
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/experiments/chpt-5/v
oltage-regulator/
b. LightingupanLEDbycreatingacircuitandcompletingthecircuitwithPANi
i.
Make a variable resistor in series circuit:
http://stormdancer.huntress.org/led.htm
ii.
Some Basics= - Too much current = blown LED; - Not enough
voltage = no damage, no lighting up; Wired up wrong way = no
damage, no lighting up
iii.
First you need to identify the Anode, or the positive leg.

iv.
v.

vi.
vii.
viii.

Work out what resistor you are going to put in to make sure you
don't blow the LED with too much current. You want about 30 mA
maximum current through each LED. If you are wiring in Series
(see below) you need to add all the currents together to find the
total current. If you are wiring in Parallel, treat each LED separately.

Voltage (in volts) = Current (in amps) x Resistance (in Ohms)

So, for a single LED, drawing 30 mA (0.030 Amps) for a 9V
battery 9 = 0.03 x R
1. R = 9 / 0.03 = 300 Ohms.We need a 300 ohm resistor.
2. Wire the Battery up to the resistor, the other side of the
resistor to the Anode, and the Cathode to the other Battery
terminal. If you want to get fly, you can add a variable
resistor in there, and maybe a switch.

ix.

Evaluate
Questionsembeddedinlabsandactivities