Facile template-free electrochemical preparation of poly[N-(2-cyanoethyl)pyrrole] nanowires

Polypyrrole Derivatives: Preparation, Properties and Application

Polypyrrole (PPy) has attracted widespread attention due to its excellent environmental stability, high conductivity, simple synthesis, good biocompatibility, and reversible redox properties. PPy derivatives not only inherit the advantages of polypyrrole, but also have some unique properties. The side and N-site substitution of PPy can not only yield polymers with good solubility, but it also endows polymers with special functionalities by controlling the introduced functional groups. The performance of copolymers can also be adjusted by the type of monomer or polymerization ratio. In this review, an overview of the different types, main preparation methods, and the application prospects of PPy derivatives reported to date are summarized and presented. The current challenges and future opportunities in this research area are also prospected.

Polypyrrole Nanomaterials: Structure, Preparation and Application

In the past decade, nanostructured polypyrrole (PPy) has been widely studied because of its many specific properties, which have obvious advantages over bulk-structured PPy. This review outlines the main structures, preparation methods, physicochemical properties, potential applications, and future prospects of PPy nanomaterials. The preparation approaches include the soft micellar template method, hard physical template method and templateless method. Due to their excellent electrical conductivity, biocompatibility, environmental stability and reversible redox properties, PPy nanomaterials have potential applications in the fields of energy storage, biomedicine, sensors, adsorption and impurity removal, electromagnetic shielding, and corrosion resistant. Finally, the current difficulties and future opportunities in this research area are discussed.

Interface effect on the electropolymerized polypyrrole films with hollow micro/nanohorn arrays

Polypyrrole (PPy) films with hollow micro/nanohorn arrays were controllably synthesized in p-toluenesulfonate aqueous solutions by template-free electrochemical methods. The micelles which consist of pyrrole monomers and the surfactants provided the soft templates during the polymerization process. The polymerization potential and pH value of the solutions cooperatively influenced the shape of the micelles at the substrate/electrolyte interface and further controlled the morphologies of PPy films. PPy grew along the soft templates during the high potential periods of a pulse potentiostatic (PPS) method, while the pH value and the low potential were varied to modulate the shape of the soft templates. It has been shown to be most appropriate to fabricate hollow micro/nanohorn PPy films with the highest electrical conductivity (190 S cm(-1)) via PPS at pH ∼1.5. A diagram was also introduced in order to illustrate the polymerization potential and pH value dependence of nanohorn PPy morphologies. This work proposed a potential method to the in situ growth of conducting polymers with high conductivity and high specific surface area.