Electrosynthesis and study of carbazole–acrylamide copolymer electrodes

Abstract

Polymerisation of N-carbazoles in the presence of acrylamide has been studied by electrochemical polymerisation onto platinum and indium tin oxide (ITO), electrodes from an acetonitrile solution of the monomers and tetraethylamonnium perchlorate-supporting electrolyte. The influence of polymerisation conditions such as electrode potential, monomer concentration, type of solvent and supporting electrolyte on the mechanical and electrochemical properties of final polymers have been studied. The redox behaviour of the polymer-coated electrodes was checked in solution containing ferrocene and dopamine solution by cyclic voltammetry. Depending on the conditions the electrode response may be reversible or quasi reversible. Cationic polymerisation of monomer is initiated either by the monomer cation radical or by the proton generated by the coupling reaction of the cation radical of carbazole. For the characterisation of copolymers Cyclic Voltammetry, UV–vis and FT-IR spectrophotometric, solid state conductivity and SEM measurements were used.