Photopolymerized silver-containing conducting polymer films. Part II. Physico-chemical characterization and mechanism of photopolymerization process

Physico-chemical and mechanical characterizations of nanophase silver-containing polypyrrole films prepared using a new photopolymerization process were performed. In general, the recorded physical, chemical, and mechanical data characteristic of these films was similar to corresponding literature data obtained from electropolymerized or chemically polymerized polypyrrole. However, photopolymerized polypyrrole films possessed an unusually high anion-to-monomer ratio of 0.8:1. Also, the photopolymerized material contained silver nanoparticles, having diameters of 2 μm or less, uniformally distributed throughout the polymer matrix. While the photopolymerization mechanism is complex, it is suggested that a pyrrole–silver cation complex is most likely the key component involved in the photopolymerization initiation step. Paper submitted for inclusion in the special issue of the Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry honoring the 85th birthday of Professor John O’M. Bockris.