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Completed TRL 3 (started at 1, targeting 3)
Due to its ability to be made electrically conducting, polyaniline is of interest for many aerospace applications, including use as electrostatic dispersive coatings, electromagnetic interference shielding, actuators, and as electrodes for batteries, fuel cells and super capacitors. Compared to other conductive polymers, polyaniline is easy to synthesize, more flexible, capable of p and n type doping and is more environmentally stable.
As mentioned, a polyaniline aerogel may be applied in several ways. Due to its low density, high porosity, large surface area, conductivity when doped, and color change in the presence of acids and bases, it may find use as a chemical sensor or as an anode in batteries or supercapacitors. In addition, crosslinked polyanaline has been proposed for hydrogen storage. An aerogel version should potentially have much more capacity for this application.
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