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A study of the effects of acid on the polymerisation of pyrrole, on the oxidative polymerisation of pyrrole and on polypyrrole

Hawkins, S. J.; Ratcliffe, N. M.; Hawkins, S.J; Ratcliffe, Norman M.

A study of the effects of acid on the polymerisation of pyrrole, on the oxidative polymerisation of pyrrole and on polypyrrole Thumbnail


Authors

S. J. Hawkins

N. M. Ratcliffe

S.J Hawkins

Norman Ratcliffe Norman.Ratcliffe@uwe.ac.uk
Professor in Materials & Sensors Science



Abstract

The polymer products arising from the hydrochloric acid treatment of aqueous pyrrole were shown to have spectroscopic data consistent with alternating pyrrole and pyrrolidine units with varying degrees of ring opening of the pyrrole units. The acid catalysed polymerisation of pyrrole offers a facile route to polymers with amine and carbonyl functional groups, which could be further derivatised. The products were polydisperse spheres; however the use of steric stabilisers induced monodisperse sphere formation and a concomitant ten fold decrease in size. Dilute nitric acid treatment of aqueous pyrrole gave polydisperse spheres (and ovoid shapes) in lower yield, plus a small proportion of curious particles which resembled pitted olives. The presence of acid in the reaction mixture of pyrrole and ferric ions was shown to have a relatively small effect on the conductivity of the resultant polypyrrole. The ability of polypyrrole to withstand harsh acidic conditions was assessed. Polypyrrole was shown to possess significant conductivity even after treatment with boiling concentrated hydrochloric acid.

Citation

Ratcliffe, N. M., Hawkins, S. J., Hawkins, S., & Ratcliffe, N. M. (2000). A study of the effects of acid on the polymerisation of pyrrole, on the oxidative polymerisation of pyrrole and on polypyrrole. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 10(9), 2057-2062. https://doi.org/10.1039/b001912g

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Sep 26, 2000
Deposit Date May 13, 2013
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Journal of Materials Chemistry
Print ISSN 0959-9428
Publisher Royal Society of Chemistry
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 10
Issue 9
Pages 2057-2062
DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/b001912g
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1092929
Publisher URL http://rsc.org

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