CONDUCTING POLYMER COMPOSITES .1. SURFACE-INDUCED POLYMERIZATION OF PYRROLE ON IRON(III) AND CERIUM(IV) OXIDE PARTICLES

Electrically conducting polypyrrole coatings on inorganic cores were obtained by deposition of pyrrole on catalytically active particles. The finely dispersed core materials were hematite (polyhedral and spindle-type), silica coated with hematite, and cerium(IV) oxide. The degree of polymer coverage could be controlled by varying the aging time and the properties of the carrier particles. The so prepared coated powders were examined by transmission electron microscopy and further characterized by elemental and thermogravimetric analyses, as well as by electrophoresis, X-ray diffraction, and conductivity measurements. The conductivities were comparable to those reported for pure polypyrrole and they increased with pressure. © 1991.