Electropolymerization of aniline and pyrrole in the presence of copper(II)

Polymerization of aniline and pyrrole in the presence of copper(II) coming from different salts were studied by cyclic voltammetry. The systems used a re: polymer/CuCl2/ HCl, polymer/CuSO4/H2SO4 and polymer/Cu(NO3)(2)/HNO3). T he polymer/metal mol ratios were 10/1 in both cases. The voltammograms were recorded at pH = 0 under constant potentiodynamic regime of 100 mV s(-1). It was found that aniline polymerizes in presence of Cu(II) and of all the strong acids tested (HCl, H2SO4 and HNO3). The best medium to obtain polyan iline was Cu(II) in 1 M HCl. Both polyaniline and poly(pyrrole) showed a better voltammetric behavior in HCl medium. It was attributed to the CuCl2- or CuCl32- complex formation w hich can be incorporated to the polymer when it is electro-oxidized. It was not possible polymerize pyrrole in H2SO4.