Polypyrrole incorporating electroless nickel

The electroless deposition of Ni-P (phosphorus content about 20 at.%) into polypyrrole (PPy) film is described and conditions for achieving good dispersions of small particles discussed. The influence of the loading level/particle size on the electrocatalytic properties of these new electrodes is illustrated by the study of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The usefulness of electrochemical treatments, not only in overcoming the loss of catalyst at anodic potentials but also in promoting the formation of a catalytic nickel oxide phase is demonstrated. The performance towards nitrite ion oxidation reveals that electroless deposition on conductive polymers can be envisaged as an attractive method for the fabrication of good electrocatalytic materials-with application in a wide range of potentials. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.