An FTIR study of the role of H2O and D2O in the aging mechanism of conductive polypyrroles

In the present work the role of H2O was studied by conductivity measurements and FTIR spectroscopy using the isotopic effect of deuterium in order to elucidate the aging mechanism of conductivity of polypyrroles. Polypyrrole was prepared with PTS as a dopant, by using deuterated water. Conductivity measurements showed changes due to structural water and atmospheric humidity. The FTIR absorption spectra indicated that the most probable structure of polypyrrole is the two-dimensional one. This finding could be attributed to the inhibition of polypyrrole's IR modes. The infrared spectrum analysis show that the gamma-NH bending mode of pyrrole has significantly changed after polymerization of pyrrole and this result is in accordance with XPS measurements. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.