Conducting organic polymers with electroactive dopants. Synthesis and electrochemical properties of hexacyanoferrate-doped polypyrrole

A systematic study of the synthesis of heacyanoferrate-doped polypyrrole (P Py/HCF) is reported. In addition to the electrochemical growth of films, we report three different modifications of a novel chemical synthesis for the preparation of bulk powdered materials by oxidative polymerization of pyrr ole by the acid derivative of HCF. The effect of temperature and duration o f the reaction, doping level and aging of the materials obtained on their c onductivity has been systematically studied. Higher conductivities are obta ined for materials prepared at lower temperatures (0 degrees C). This is as sociated to a higher content of the doping HCF anion for these lower temper ature materials. With time the conductivity of all samples decreases propor tionally to the corresponding initial values. Finally, we report the electr ochemical properties of these hybrid materials, the cyclic voltammograms of chemical and electrochemical derivatives and their intercalation behavior, which shows a deintercalation of the electroactive HCF anion in aqueous el ectrolytes but not in organic (propylene carbonate, dimethoxyethane) media. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.