Electrochemical synthesis and characterization of poly(pyrrole-co-ε-caprolactone) conducting copolymer

The direct electrochemical copolymerization of pyrrole (Py) and ε-caprolactone at various monomer ratios was carried out by potentiostatic methods in nitromethane. Characterizations of the novel copolymer were based on scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetrical analysis, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, and elemental analysis studies. The results showed that the electrochemical oxidation of Py and ε-caprolactone comonomers generated true copolymers rather than blends of the two homopolymers. The electrical conductivity of the copolymers increased with the amount of polypyrrole in the copolymer between the value of 8.2 S/cm and 0.6 S/cm. A probable mechanism of copolymerization was proposed.