# Multifunctional Stimuli-Responsive Polyaniline-Based Conductive Composite Film

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new conductive composite film made from polyaniline and PVA that responds to external stimuli like heat and voltage, enabling shape recovery and potential smart applications.

## Contribution

A simple method to create a stimuli-responsive, conductive polyaniline-based composite film with shape recovery and multifunctional properties.

## Key findings

- The composite film achieved a maximum conductivity of 0.034 S·cm−1.
- The film can recover its original shape within 25 seconds under 30 V.
- The material exhibits multiple stimuli-responsive properties to heat, voltage, light, and water.

## Abstract

There is a growing demand for multifunctional materials that can meet the increasingly complex needs of modern society. The combination of functionalization and intellectualization promotes the development of multifunctional smart materials. These materials are not only required to possess excellent basic properties, but also need to integrate multiple functions to adapt to various application scenarios. In this study, a simple solution co-blending method for preparing a polyaniline-based multifunctional conductive composite film was proposed. This methodology employs polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a stimuli-responsive matrix, combined with polyaniline (PANI) serving as a functional component, while glutaraldehyde (GA) acts as the crosslinking agent. This PANI-based composite film overcomes the disadvantage that PANI does not easily form a uniform film. The maximum conductivity of this film can reach 0.034 S·cm−1. It is worth noting that the combination of PANI with the stimuli-responsive PVA film resulted in a composite film that not only retained good electrical conductivity, but also exhibited multiple stimuli-responsive properties. These stimuli-responsive properties can be controlled by external stimuli such as heat, voltage, light, or water. The PANI-based composite film could recover its original shape within 25 s when the applied voltage reached 30 V. These characteristics open up possibilities of potential applications where controlled deformation is desired.