The synthesis of 3-octadecyl- and 3-docosylpyrrole, their polymerisation and incorporation into novel composite gas sensitive resistors

Ratcliffe, N. M.; Guernion, N.; de Lacy Costello, Ben

Abstract

3-Octadecylpyrrole and the novel 3-docosylpyrrole were synthesised in high yields. These monomers were polymerised with various oxidising agents to produce a range of 3-octadecylpolypyrroles and 3-docosylpolypyrroles with different counter-ions. These polymers were soluble in chloroform and were readily coated onto microporous poly(vinylidene fluoride) membranes. Novel 3-alkylpolypyrrole-tin(IV) oxide composites were also produced by adding finely ground tin(IV) oxide to a solution of the 3-alkylpolypyrrole in chloroform and drop-coating the resulting mixture onto alumina substrates or poly(vinylidene fluoride) membranes. The resulting 3-alkylpolypyrrole based materials were tested for their gas sensitivity towards a number of classes of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The 3-alkylpolypyrrole-tin(IV) oxide composites were found to exhibit enhanced sensitivity and differing selectivities to VOCs when compared to tin(IV) oxide or the 3-alkylpolypyrrole alone. Previously, conducting polymers exhibited little response to non-polar VOCs, in contrast 3-octadecylpolypyrrole-nitrate-tin(IV) oxide composite sensors were particularly sensitive to hydrocarbons and could detect butane and propane at concentrations well below their lower limit of explosion (LLE). © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Apr 30, 2002
• Deposit Date: May 8, 2013
• Journal: Synthetic Metals
• Print ISSN: 0379-6779
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 128
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 139-147
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0379-6779%2801%2900551-3
• Keywords: 3-Alkylpolypyrroles, gas sensor, volatile organic compounds, tin oxide, lower limit of explosion
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1078330
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0379-6779(01)00551-3
• Contract Date: May 11, 2016