title: Radiolytic method as a novel approach for the synthesis of nanostructured conducting polypyrrole.
abstract: In this study, a novel and extremely facile method for the synthesis of conducting polypyrrole (PPy) was achieved in aqueous solution. This radiolytic method is totally free of template and environmentally friendly compared with traditional chemical methods. According to ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis, pyrrole (Py) monomers were polymerized into PPy thanks to their oxidation by HO(•) radicals produced by the radiolysis of water when exposed to γ irradiation. The morphology of PPy was characterized by cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) in aqueous solution and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after deposition. In an original way, high-resolution atomic force microscopy, coupled with infrared nanospectroscopy, was used to probe the local chemical composition of PPy nanostructures. The results demonstrated that spherical and chaplet-like PPy nanostructures were formed by γ-radiolysis. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and electronic conductivity measurements showed that radiosynthesized PPy had good thermal stability and an electrical conductivity higher than that of chemically synthesized PPy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Chimie Physique, LCP, UMR 8000, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud , Bât. 349, Campus d'Orsay, 15 avenue Jean Perrin, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Zhenpeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coletta
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dazzi
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lefrançois
authors.forename: Matthieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gervais
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Néron
authors.forename: Samy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Remita
mesh_terms: D005720:Gamma Rays; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000737:chemistry*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D011758:Pyrroles; C067635:polypyrrole