The use of microelectrodes to probe the electropolymerization mechanism of heterocyclic conducting polymers
R. John and G. G. Wallace1 Chemistry Department, University of Wollongong, P.O. Box 1144, Wollongong, N.S.W. 2500 Australia Received 18 September 1990; revised 13 November 1990. Available online 14 January 2002.
Abstract
Cyclic voltammetry and potential step experiments were used to investigate the electropolymerization mechanism of pyrrole at platinum micro- and macroelectrodes. The enhanced mass transport properties of microelectrodes have been used to probe certain aspects of the mechanism, particularly with respect to the formation of soluble intermediates during polymer growth. It was found that polypyrrole growth was largely the result of the continual precipitation of oligomeric intermediates from solution rather than the sequential addition of pyrrole monomers to the polymer chain ends of the deposited polymer.
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry Volume 306, Issues 1-2, 24 May 1991, Pages 157-167