Gravimetric Electrochemical Voltage Spectroscopy:<i>In Situ</i>Mass Measurements during Electrochemical Doping of the Conducting Polymer Polypyrrole

Abstract

A new technique is described for direct measurement of mass changes of a conducting polymer electrode during electrochemical cycling. A quartz microbalance is used, with one of its contacts serving as the working electrode. Its high sensitivity permits resolution of mass changes less than 100 ng/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$. The results demonstrate that on reduction of poly(pyrrole perchlorate), charge compensation is achieved by diffusion of the lithium cation into the polymer and not the perchlorate anion into solution.