Electrohydrodynamic synthesis, characterisation and metal uptake studies on polypyrrole colloids stabilised by polyvinylphosphate dopant

Conducting polymer colloids consisting of polypyrrole doped with polyvinylphosphate were produced by electrohydrodynamic polymerisation in the absence of an added steric stabiliser. Elemental analysis indicated that electrochemically generated colloids were more highly doped than thin films composed of the same material. Colloidal particles displayed very low conductivities but were electroactive, while their zeta potentials showed that they were negatively charged. Transmission Electron Microscopy was used to characterise the colloids grown. In addition, the effects of variations in flow rate and applied potential on the yield of the electrochemically prepared colloids was also investigated. The colloids were shown to adsorb calcium, copper and iron ions from aqueous solutions. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.