PolyanilinMicro-or nano-scaled hollow spheres of conducting polymers have recently attracted great attention due to their widespread potential applications in a variety of fields such as encapsulation delivery controlled release separation system and biosensors. In addition superhydrophobic surfaces with water contact angle higher than 150º are arousing much interest because of their applications in coating gene delivery micro-fluidic channels and non-wetting liquid transfer.

With supports of the National Natural Science Foundation and Chinese Academy of Science recently Prof. Meixiang Wan抯 and Lei Jiang抯 group made a progress in self-assembly of multi-functionalized polyaniline micro/nanostructures (Adv. Mater. 19 2007 2092-2096). They reported that the conductive and superhydrophobic rambutan-like polyaniline hollow spheres can be prepared by a self-assembly process in the presence of perfluoroocant sulfonic acid as the dopant. It has been demonstrated that the perfluoroocant sulfonic acid has dopant soft-template and bring about superhydrophobic functions at the same time.  The conductive rambutan-like hollow spheres with a large specific area and superhydrophobic properties may find potential applications in biosensors drug delivery without loss of drug controllable separation and controlled drug release. In particular the superhydrophobic surface of the hollow spheres may protect their conductive properties as well as the materials encapsulated within.

Advanced Materials ( 2007 vol 19 2092-2096 )