Electrochemical deposition of a composite polymer metal oxide

Abstract

A process for forming polymer films through electrochemical techniques utilizing electrolytes which include conductive polymer. The resulting polymer films are electrically conductive and corrosion and wear resistant. Poyamino-benzene (polyaniline), for example, undergoes an insulator-to-metal transition upon doping with protonic acids in an acid/base-type reaction. Composite polymer-aluminum oxide films may be formed by modifying the anodizing electrolyte, resulting in the codeposition of polyaniline during aluminum anodization. A nonprotonated, ring-sulfonated aluminum salt of polyaniline was determined to be the reaction product within the aluminum oxide phase of the codeposited films. A second process, which incorporates electrochemical sealing of the anodic layer with polyaniline, was also developed. The formation of these composite films is documented through experimental processing, and characterized through scientific analysis and engineering tests. Scientific characterization determined the codeposition process yields chemically and metallurgically bound composite films. Engineering testing determined the films, obtained through a single step, exhibit superior wear and comparable corrosion resistance to conventionally anodized and sealed films processed through two steps, demonstrating the increased manufacturing efficiency that can be realized using the processes of the present invention.