Role of monomer in .gamma.-irradiated dimethyldiallylammonium chloride-modified electrodes

Commercially available poly(dimethyldiallylammonium chloride) (polyDMDAAC) solutions were found by NMR to contain DMDAAC monomer. Polymerization of this monomer by ..gamma.. irradiation results in the formation of insoluble networks that can be immobilized on electrode surfaces. The immobilization process is aided by the high porosity of the graphite electrodes used. The permeability of these polyDMDAAC electrodes to solution species can be controlled by varying the amount of monomer polymerized. The feasibility of immobilizing macromolecules onto electrode surfaces by polymerization of monomers is studied by immobilizing polyDMDAAC (no DMDAAC monomer present) in a network of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)/N-vinylpyrrolidone.