Polarons radical polymerization

Polystyrene has been typically prepared with radical polymerization by benzoyl peroxide (BPO) or azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN). In this report, polymerization of styrene was carried out by radical cations of polyaniline (PANI). Polarons of conducting polymers are consisting of radical cations. The polarons bear electrical conduction as a charge carrier. We employ the polarons as an initiator for radical polymerization. Polymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile by the polarons was conducted to explore new possibility of conducting polymers. Fourier‐transfer infrared absorption (FTIR) spectroscopy measurements for the resultant polymers obtained with polarons of polyaniline indicates that the polystyrene thus synthesized grows from polyaniline. The qualitative solubility, average molecular weight, and thermal stability are comparable to that of polystyrene obtained by the common method with BPO. Radical polymerization by polarons may provide a new avenue for radical polymerizations through application of conducting polymer. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56 , 805–811