Electrosynthesis and analytical characterisation of polypyrrole thin films modified with copper nanoparticles

Copper-polypyrrole (Cu-PPy) composites have been synthesized following an all- electrochemical procedure comprising the deposition of a thin PPy film and the subsequent pulsed potentiostatic deposition of copper from a CuCl sub 2 solution. Surface and bulk characterisation of the specimens has been carried out using X-ray Photoelectron and Micro-Raman spectroscopies, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry has been used to investigate electroactive species and copper- polypyrrole interactions in the materials. Composite morphology has been assessed by Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopies. The cluster size depended upon the amount of copper deposited; for a copper loading of 44 mC cm exp -2 , clusters with a mean diameter of 160 nm were deposited. These clusters are mainly composed of Cu sub 2 O, although chloride species and CuO were found on the surface of the composites. Evidence is provided that Cu-N complexes were formed too.