Physical properties of polypyrrole films containing dicyanoaurate(I) anions, PPy–Au(CN)2

Abstract
Polypyrrole dicyanoaurate, Ppy–Au(CN)2, has been synthesized in thin-film form by electrochemical oxidation of pyrrole in aqueous or non-aqueous media. The film samples have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The room-temperature conductivity of one of the films (303 S cm–1) is one of the highest reported to date for any Ppy–anion system. X-Ray diffraction studies show that the preferred orientation of the PPy chains in Ppy–Au(CN)2 is parallel to the anode surface. The films show excellent stability in air at room temperature, their conductivity decreasing by less than 2% over 50 days. The electrochemical properties of PPy–Au(CN)2-coated platinum electrodes have been probed in detail using cyclic voltammetric (CV) methods.