Chemical synthesis of highly conducting polypyrrole by the use of copper(II) perchlorate as an oxidant

Abstract

A reaction of pyrrole and copper(II) perchlorate in acetonitrile yielded highly conducting polypyrrole, [(C 4H 3N)(C10 4) x·yH 2O] n: a polymer with x = 0.35 and y = 0.25 exhibited a conductivity of 60 S cm −1 and a very low activation energy of 0.011 eV. The e.s.r. spectrum was asymmetric and the g value was 2.0017 that was slightly smaller than the free electron value. These are suggestive of a Dysonian line due to a metal-like charge transport along polymer chains. Materials treated with NH 4OH solution showed an infrared spectrum characteristic of polypyrrole.