PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF POLYPYRROLE FILMS CONTAINING TRISOXALATOMETALLATE ANIONS AND PREPARED FROM AQUEOUS-SOLUTION

Polypyrrole (PPy) thin films containing trisoxalatometallate anions (M (ox)(3)(3-), M=Cr and Al; ox=C2O42-) were prepared electrochemically f rom aqueous solution in a single-compartment cell. Thicknesses were in the range 30-70 mu m They were characterized by elemental analysis an d diffuse specular reflectance FT-IR spectroscopy. Their structural an d morphological features were probed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and sc anning electron microscopy (SEM). Room-temperature electrical conducti vities (11-50 S cm(-1)) were comparable to those of the well-studied P Py-p-toluenesulfonate system. Some limited studies of the effect of ox ygen and nitrogen on the variation of conductivity with time were made . Some of the films displayed excellent conductivity stability over a period of 50 days, comparable to the stability found in other commonly reported polymers.