Electropolymerization of Pyrrole in the Presence of Fluoborate

Abstract

The formation of polypyrrole on some metallic films (Pt, Pd, Ti, Au, Ni, Cr, In, Al, Fe, Ag, etc.) has been studied under potentiostatic and galvanostatic conditions. The role of pyrrole and the fluoborate ion in the polymerization process has been investigated at room temperature. From the analysis of galvanostatic current‐potential curves it has been possible to distinguish the particular processes: initiator formation, polymerization, polymer degradation, and gas evolution. The polymerization in acetonitrile is indirectly initiated with a reaction order of ≈1 with respect to the concentration. There are at least two different kinds of polypyrrole, depending on polymerization potential, that differ structurally. The formation of polymers on nonpolarized electrodes has also been observed.