Physical properties of polypyrrole films containing dicyanoaurate(I) anions, PPy–Au(CN)2

Abstract

Polypyrrole dicyanoaurate, Ppy–Au(CN)₂, has been synthesized in thin-film form by electrochemical oxidation of pyrrole in aqueous or non-aqueous media. The film samples have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The room-temperature conductivity of one of the films (303 S cm^–1) is one of the highest reported to date for any Ppy–anion system. X-Ray diffraction studies show that the preferred orientation of the PPy chains in Ppy–Au(CN)₂ is parallel to the anode surface. The films show excellent stability in air at room temperature, their conductivity decreasing by less than 2% over 50 days. The electrochemical properties of PPy–Au(CN)₂-coated platinum electrodes have been probed in detail using cyclic voltammetric (CV) methods.