The synthesis, properties and applications of polypyrrole (PPy), a representative of conducting polymers, are reviewed. Chemical and electrochemical methods for the preparation of PPy and PPy films and the effect of the reaction conditions on the properties of the polymer produced are discussed. The mechanisms of electrochemical polymerisation of pyrrole are compared. The physicomechanical properties of the polymer, its morphology and structure are discussed. The mechanism of charge transfer in PPy is considered within the framework of the model of quasi-equilibrium concentrations of polarons and bipolarons. The methods for modification of the electrochemical performance of PPy are reviewed, in particular, synthesis of PPy from pyrrole derivatives with the appropriate electroactive groups and introduction in the PPy of electroactive dopant anions and the effect of those on the electrochemical performance of PPy films are considered. Examples of the use of PPy are given and the prospects for its application in various areas are discussed. The bibliography includes 254 references.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1070/RC1997v066n05ABEH000261/pdf

Polypyrrole : a conducting polymer; its synthesis, properties and applications

Gold nanoparticle arrays for the voltammetric sensing of dopamine

Electrocatalysis and simultaneous detection of dopamine and ascorbic acid using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy)thiophene film modified electrodes

A novel covalently modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) has been fabricated through an electrochemical oxidation procedure and was used to electrochemically detect dopamine (DA), ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA) and their mixture by a differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method. The modified GCE exhibits potent and persistent electron-mediating behavior followed by well-separated oxidation peaks in cyclic voltammetry (CV) or DPV towards DA, AA and UA with activation overpotentials. For the ternary mixture containing DA, AA and UA, the three compounds can well be separated from each other at a scan rate of 0.50 V s −1 with a potential difference of 140 mV, 140 mV and 280 mV in CV, and 180 mV, 130 mV and 310 mV in DPV between DA and AA, DA and UA, and UA and AA, respectively. The differences are large enough to determine AA, DA and UA individually and simultaneously. The stability of the PVA covalently modified GCE is good up to at least 30 days of continual operation.

Judith G. Pack

Papers

Catalysis of slow charge transfer reactions at polypyrrole-coated glassy carbon electrodes