Electrosynthesis and characterization of conducting polypyrrole doped with alkylsulfonate anion

The preparation of polypyrrole conducting polymer in aqueous medium by electrochemical method containing several alkylsulfonate dopants such as methylsulfonate (C1), butylsulfonate (C4), octylsulfonate (C8) and dodecylsulfonate (C12) are reported. The prepared polymer films were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and elemental analysis. The conductivity of the prepared films was found to increase with the increase of carbon number of alkylsulfonate dopant. The results of Infrared and elemental analysis show that the alkylsulfonate dopants were incorporated in the polypyrrole structure. It has been observed from cyclic voltammetry analysis that lighter dopants produced more current suggesting that the movement of the dopants in and out of the polymer surface is much more flexible than that of the cases for heavier dopants. Keywords. Conducting polymer, polypyrrole, alkylsulfonate dopant, electrochemical polymerization, cyclic voltammetry. (Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences: 2003 9(2): 221-228