Electrochemical Polymerization of Pyrrole in the Presence of Sulfoacid Polyelectrolytes

Abstract

The pyrrole electrochemical polymerization in the presence of salt and acid forms of flexible-chain sulfoacid polyelectrolytes is studied comparatively. Electrochemical and spectral methods of the synthesis control showed the polypyrrole electrosynthesis in the presence of polyelectrolytes to occur more rapidly and with lesser monomer concentration than in inorganic-anion-containing aqueous solutions. With the using of the polyelectrolytes’ Н⁺-form, the pyrrole polymerization rate was shown to exceed that in the Na⁺-salt solutions. Electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical properties in visible and near-IR spectral regions, and morphology of the obtained hybrid polypyrrole films were also studied.