Investigations on electrochemical copolymerization of pyrrole and o-phenetidine

Pyrrole (PY) and o-phenetidine (OPT) electrochemical copolymerizations in aqueous acidic medium and organic solution with various monomer feed ratios have been investigated. UV-vis spectra indicate that the copolymers were obtained. The elementary analysis and cyclic voltammetry measurements reveal that the composition and electroactivities of the copolymers are affected by the different methods of polymerizations, media, and reaction conditions. It is found that a four-step process occurred during the potentiaostatic electrochemical copolymerization in 0.3 M LiClO ₄ acetonitrile solution, and the copolymer deposition mechanism is very close to 2D model. Whislt in 1 M H ₂SO ₄ aqueous solution, the progress is close to 2DI model in the early period, and then becomes a combination of 2DI and 3DI models. The potentiostatic electropolymerization of PY and OPT in the acidic aqueous medium below the 0.7 V (SCE) potential, is more efficient to get electrochemical conducting polymers with high electroactivities.