Polypyrrole hydro-sponges built up from mesoscopic scales

Abstract

Polypyrrole hydro-sponges with macroscopic features similar to polymer gels were synthesized by assembling polypyrrole microtubules into mesoscale networks. An employed static condition was demonstrated to play an important role in the formation of the new materials. The granules of polypyrrole introduced via the inducement of β-cyclodextrin sulfate or the modulation of the template acted as a “mesoscale cross-linker”. The swellability of the materials was successfully improved with the increased degree of mesoscopic cross-linking. The crystallinity of the polypyrrole in the products was confirmed by XRD measurements. The repeat length along the chain direction and the coherence length were determined. The compressed pellet of the resulting materials showed an electrical conductivity as high as 126 S cm−1. The investigation gives valuable hints for achieving controlled fabrication of materials with complicated superstructures and macroscopic sizes.