Detection of Intermediate during Electrochemical Polymerization of Azure A and X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Poly(azure A)

The electrochemical polymerization of azure A has been investigated by the rotating ring‐disk electrode (RRDE) and the X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrolysis of azure A was studied in the pH region of 1.0 and 12.0. The results from the RRDE experiments show that the electrochemical polymerization of azure A was performed by two steps, i.e., oxidation of azure A and followed by polymerization. The intermediates generated at the disk were detected at the ring electrode in the ring potential region of −0.2–0.20 V (vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode). The collection efficiencies of the intermediates increase with decreasing the ring potential as well as increasing the rotation rate of the RRDE. Thus, the intermediate is to carry a positive charge species and not too stable. The results from the XPS experiments show that the anions can be doped into poly(azure A) film and be dedoped from it during oxidation and reduction processes.

Keywords:

• conducting polymer
• electrochemistry
• cyclic voltammetry, rotating ring‐disk electrode
• intermediate
• XPS

5 Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Social Development Foundation of Zhenjiang (No. SH2006076) for supporting this work. Thanks are given to Professor Shaolin Mu (Department of Chemistry, Yangzhou University) for his help in the RRDE determination.