Electrochemically synthesized polypyrrole nanotubules : effects of different experimental conditions

Nanotubules of polypyrrole (PPy) were electrochemically synthesized using the pores of nanoporous polycarbonate (PC) particle track-etched membranes (PTM) as templates. The influence of some conditions of electrosynthesis (electrochemical method, monomer concentration, electrolyte concentration and nature) on the kinetics of pyrrole electropolymerization and on the morphology of the obtained nanomaterials has been investigated. In particular, the empirical kinetics of the electrochemical generation of polypyrrole-perchlorate (PPy-ClO4) from aqueous solution, at 0.8 V (vs SCE) was followed by electrical charges measurement. The orders with respect to pyrrole and LiClO4 are 0.34 and 0.70 respectively. The electrogeneration of polypyrrole-polystyrenesulfonate (PPy-PSS) was also followed and shows that an increase of the electrolyte concentration increases the polymerization rate at constant potential. Finally, the morphology of PPy nanotubules doped with LiClO4 and NaPSS has been studied by high resolution emission SEM and by TEM.