Palladium-polypyrrole nanostructured composite films can be easily synthesi
sed using a two-step procedure comprising the electrochemical synthesis of
palladium nanoparticles (Pd-NPs) that are subsequently po ten tio staticall
y deposited onto a polypyrrole thin film electrosynthesised from an acetoni
trile solution. The composite thin films have good conductivity and their t
ransmission electron micrographs show that the metallic inclusions have a m
ean diameter of about 5 nm with a homogeneous size distribution. X-ray phot
oelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis reveals the presence of two surface o
xidation states for the as-synthesised Pd-NPs as well as for those deposite
d on the films. On the basis of experimental findings, a structural model f
or the Pd-NPs is proposed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserv
ed.