EFFECTS OF ELECTROCHEMICAL PROCESS PARAMETERS ON THE SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF POLYPYRROLE COATINGS ON STEEL

Polypyrrole coatings have been successfully formed on low carbon steel by aqueous electrochemical process. The effects of electrochemical pr ocess parameters such as pH of the reaction medium, applied current de nsity and initial monomer and electrolyte concentrations on the format ion process of polypyrrole coatings were systematically investigated. The composition and morphology of the coatings were studied by FT-IR, elemental analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Our results show that passivation of the steel, electropolymerization of pyrrole, the morphology and properties of the coatings were all dependent on t he electrochemical process parameters. By proper choice of the electro chemical process parameters, the passivation of the steel could be est ablished within a short time and smooth, uniform, strongly adherent co atings could be formed on the steel substrate. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scien ce S.A. All rights reserved.