Optimization of Polypyrrole Chemical Synthesis by Heat Flow Reaction Calorimetry

Abstract

Chemical polymerization of pyrrole (Py) was carried out in a reaction calorimeter by using FeCl₃ or CuCl₂ as an oxidant in an acetonitrile medium. The formation heat of polypyrrole (PPy), determined under a wide range of reactant concentrations and reaction temperatures, is directly related to the PPy yields and to the degree of polymerization. Due to the negative values of both the entropy and enthalpy of the reaction the gravimetric yield is inversely related to the temperature and directly to the Py concentration. The yields to the PPy and the related reaction heats, are close to zero when the ‘ceiling temperatures’ are reached (T_ceil=348 K for Fe-doped and T_ceil=313 K for Cu-doped PPys). It was observed that a ‘ceiling concentration’ corresponds to each ‘ceiling temperature’ and only light oligomers are formed if Py concentration is too low. The electric conductivity values of the products were also determined and a direct relationship to the yields was found as well. The highest electric conductivity value (C=0.6 S cm⁻¹) was related to the PPy fresh synthesized from a 0.017 M Py solution.