Electrosynthesis of a Net-like Microstructured Poly(p-aminophenol) Film Possessing Electrochemical Properties in a Wide pH Range

Abstract

Electrochemical polymerization of p-aminophenol in aqueous sulfuric acid solution has been carried out at a platinum foil using repeated potential cycles at the range of −0.20 to 0.95 V (vs. SCE). The resulting polymer has good electrochemical activity and a fast charge transfer characteristic in the solutions of 0.5 mol dm⁻³ Na₂SO₄ with pH ≤ 9.0. Based on the spectroscopic measurements, a possible chemical structure of the resulting polymer was proposed. IR and XPS spectra indicate that SO₄ ²⁻ ions are contained in the resulting polymer. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrograph proves that the net-like microstructure of the poly(p-aminophenol) film, which is a macroporous network composed of interwoven and coalescing fiber diameters of 100–500 nm and pore diameters of 500 nm–3 μ m, can be prepared using the electrochemical method.

Keywords:

• p-Aminophenol
• poly(p-aminophenol)
• electrochemical polymerization
• electrochemical properties
• XPS

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 20704020), the National High Technology Research and Development Program (“863” Program) of China (no. 2006AA06Z411) and the Social Development Foundation of Zhenjiang (no. SH2006076). Thanks are given to Professor Jianxin Wu (Center of Physics and Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China) for his help in the XPS determination.