Nanostructured palladium-polypyrrole composites electrosynthesised from organic solvents

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.