Electrodeposition of Polypyrrole Nanowires within Vertically Oriented Mesoporous Silica Template

Abstract

Polypyrrole (Ppy) nanowire has been electrochemically synthesized via vertically oriented mesoporous silica template. The mesoporous template is also electrochemically deposited on indium tin oxide coated (ITO) glass from tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant. The highly ordered silica template is demonstrated to be 100~120nm thick with the pores of 4~5 nm diameter by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Ppy is formed to fill pores of the silica template from pyrrole solution by electrochemical oxidation. The Ppy in Ppy/silica/ITO composite was found to exhibit reversible electrochemical activity, as characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV).