ELECTROCHEMISTRY AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CONDUCTING POLY(3-METHYLTHIOPHENE) ELECTRODES CONTAINING FERROCENE MOIETIES

Ferrocenium hexafluorophosphate was used as the supporting electrolyte during the electropolymerization of poly(3-methylthiophene) and poly( 1-methylpyrrole). The electrochemical behavior of the resulting polyme r electrode indicated the incorporation of the ferrocenium moiety in t he polymer film. The appearance and the magnitudes of the voltammetric anodic and cathodic current peaks of the ferrocenium/ferrocenium(+) c ouples were influenced by: (I) the method of ferrocene incorporation i nto the polymer film, (ii) the concentration of both the ferrocenium a nd the supporting electrolyte used during the polymer deposition, (iii ) the thickness of the polymer film, and (iv) the type of electrolyte used during the polymer film electrochemical characterization. FTIR ex periments were performed on polymer films containing the ferrocenecarb aldehyde. The results were compared to the spectrum of ferrocene-free film; the comparison indicated the incorporation of the ferrocene moie ty within the polymer film. The structural aspects of the polymer film s were studied using XPS experiments, which indicated the presence of iron for films containing ferrocenium. The morphological aspects of th e films were studied by SEM technique which indicated that ''ferroceni um-free'' him morphologies are similar to those of ''ferrocenium-conta ining'' films. A model for the charge transfer within the polymer him is described. The method described in this work resulted in a stable f errocenium-bound to the polymeric film.