Effects of aqueous, organic and mixed phases on electrodeposition of polypyrrole thin film on nafion-based vulcan XC-72R electrode

In this work, polypyrrole (PPY) films were fabricated in water and acetonitrile solvents via choronopotentiome-try (CHP) method on Nafion membrane as a flexible substrate. Nano scale Vulcan XC-72R carbon ink was used as electrode material and deposited physically on the Nafion membrane. Vulcan XC-72R carbon ink coated Nafion membrane was then applied as working electrode in a electrochemical cell containing water and a mixture of water and acetonitrile based solution of pyrrole and lithium chloride as electrolyte. PPY film was then deposited electrochemically on both side of the Nafion membrane using CHP method. The ionic conductiv-ity and the morphology of PPY films were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the ionic conductivity of the PPY film prepared using a mixture of water and acetonitrile solvent is 6 times greater than that prepared in water.