PALLADIUM-CONTAINING POLYANILINE AND POLYPYRROLE MICROPARTICLES

The synthesis of palladium-containing electroactive polymer microparti cles has been carried out. The process involved three steps: synthesis of electroactive polymer microparticles with or without SiO2, reducti on of the electroactive polymer and uptake of palladium from acid solu tions. The electroactive polymers used were polyaniline and polypyrrol e, and the reduction of these polymers to their lowest oxidation state was essential for a substantial rate of uptake of palladium from the acid solution. The microparticles were characterized using X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS), BET surface area and particle size determ ination thermogravimetric analysis and elemental analysis. The catalyt ic activities of the palladium-containing microparticles in the reduct ion of dissolved oxygen in water and the reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline were demonstrated.