Cashew nut shell liquid, a valuable raw material for generating semiconductive polyaniline nanofibers

CNSL also improves the thermal stability of the PAni nanomaterial. Moreover, CNSL is an effective surfactant that promotes and stabilizes the dispersion of PAni nanofibers within water, allowing the more ecofriendly preparation of PAni nanomaterial by substituting the commonly used organic solvent with aqueous media. Finally, although CNSL promotes the formation of the conductive emeraldine salt form of PAni, increasing CNSL concentrations appear to plasticize the PAni polymer, leading to reduced electrical conductivity.

However, this reduction is not detrimental, and PAni nanofibers remain semiconductive even under high CNSL concentrations.