The effects of preparation conditions on the properties of electrochemically synthesized thick films of polypyrrole

Abstract

Thick polypyrrole (PPy) layers (10-130 μm) were prepared electrochemically on Pt anodes under galvanostatic conditions. The effects of formation parameters (e.g. electrolyte recycling, current density, temperature, solvent, the amount of water in the reaction mixture and film thickness) on the conductivity and morphology of the prepared PPy films were studied. In addition the effects of the nature of the counterion and of the nature and size of the cation associated with the counterion on the conductivity, morphology and electroactivity of the PPy films were examined. It has been shown that the electroactivity of thick PPy films in LiClO4 as electrolyte was rather good if the films were prepared in electrolyte containing large anions such as the tosylate anion. © 1994.