Electropolymerization of N-methylaniline in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate and its application for electrocatalytic reduction of nitrite

Poly(N-methylaniline) (PNMA) films were electrosynthesized on carbon paste electrode by oxidation of N-methylaniline (NMA) in acidic aqueous solution and in the presence of anionic surfactant. The films were characterized by cyclic voltammetry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and were contrasted with PNMA prepared under identical conditions in the absence of surfactant. The cyclic voltammograms of the film indicate a good redox behavior. Also, SEM studies show that the presence of the anionic surfactant strongly influences the morphology of the polymer product. This polymeric modified electrode has a very good activity toward the nitrite electroreduction via a EC' mechanism. The electrocatalytic reduction peak current is linearly dependent on the concentration of nitrite. The good linearity between the electroreduction peak current and the concentration of nitrite makes it possible to determine nitrite concentration accurately in the range of 1 x 10(-4) to 1.8 x 10(-2) M.