Tunable wetting mechanism of polypyrrole surfaces and low-voltage droplet manipulation via redox

This paper presents the experimental results and analyses on a controlled manipulation of liquid droplets upon local reduction and oxidation (redox) of a smart polymer-dodecylbenzenesulfonate doped polypyrrole (PPy(DBS)). The electrochemically tunable wetting property of PPy(DBS) permitted liquid droplet manipulation at very low voltages (-0.9 to 0.6 V). A dichloromethane (DCM) droplet was flattened upon PPy(DBS) reduction. It was found that the surface tension gradient across the droplet contact line induced Marangoni stress, which caused this deformation. Further observation of PPy(DBS)'s color change upon the redox process confirmed that the surface tension gradient was the driving force for the droplet shape change.     

Sponge-like nanostructured conducting polymers for electrically controlled drug release

An electrically controlled drug release (ECDR) system based on sponge-like nanostructured conducting polymer (CP) polypyrrole (PPy) film was developed. The nanostructured PPy film was composed of template-synthesized nanoporous PPy covered with a thin protective PPy layer. The proposed controlled release system can load drug molecules in the polymer backbones and inside the nanoholes respectively. Electrical stimulation can release drugs from both the polymer backbones and the nanoholes, which significantly improves the drug load and release efficiency. Furthermore, with one drug incorporated in the polymer backbone during electrochemical polymerization, the nanoholes inside the polymer can act as containers to store a different drug, and simultaneous electrically triggered release of different drugs can be realized with this system.     

Structure of Conducting Polymer Films Prepared on the Surface and in the Pores of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Track Membranes by Template Synthesis

The results of a structural study of conducting polymer coatings deposited onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) track membranes by template synthesis are reported. The following aspects of the quality of polymer coatings were studied: the ratio between film and granular polymers, the polymer distribution over the surface of track membranes, and the thickness of polymer layers on the opposite sides of track membranes. The fraction of granular polypyrrole (PPy) on the surface and in the pores of a film increased with pore diameter. A decrease in the polymerization temperature decreased the amount of granular PPy on the surface of membranes, whereas the effect of granular PPy on the water permeability of track membranes remained unchanged. A more homogeneous distribution of PPy over the surface of track membranes can be obtained by density equalization of reacting solutions; however, the fraction of granular PPy on the membrane surface increased in this case. It was found that polymer coatings on the two sides of the surface of a membrane template had different thicknesses. Poly(N-methylpyrrole) completely covered only one side of a track membrane facing a monomer solution.     

Carboxy-endcapped conductive polypyrrole: biomimetic conducting polymer for cell scaffolds and electrodes

Numerous regenerating tissues respond favorably to electrical stimulation, creating a need for a bioactive conducting platform for tissue engineering applications. The drive for biosensors and electrode coatings further requires control of the surface properties of promising conductive materials such as polypyrrole. Here we present carboxy-endcapped polypyrrole (PPy-alpha-COOH), a unique bioactive conducting polymer with a carboxylic acid layer, composed of a polypyrrole (PPy) surface modified with pyrrole-alpha-carboxylic acid (Py-alpha-COOH). This unique structure is simple to produce, provides a stable bioactive surface via covalent bonds, and preserves bulk properties such as electrical conductivity and mechanical integrity. The chemical structure of this polymer composite was characterized by angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which demonstrated the presence of carboxylic acid functionality on the top surface of conductive PPy. A four-point probe test was used to verify the similar conductivity of PPy-alpha-COOH compared to that of standard PPy. To demonstrate the potential to influence cellular activity, the carboxylic acid monolayer surface was grafted with the cell-adhesive Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured on RGD-modified PPy-alpha-COOH demonstrated significantly higher adhesion and spreading than on the negative controls PPy-alpha-COOH and unmodified PPy.     

Interfacial Characterization of Polypyrrole/AuNP Composites towards Electrocatalysis of Ascorbic Acid Oxidation

Polypyrrole (PPy) is an interesting conducting polymer due to its good environmental stability, high conductivity, and biocompatibility. The association between PPy and metallic nanoparticles has been widely studied since it enhances electrochemical properties. In this context, gold ions are reduced to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) directly on the polymer surface as PPy can be oxidized to an overoxidized state. This work proposes the PPy electrochemical synthesis followed by the direct reduction of gold on its surface in a fast reaction. The modified electrodes were characterized by electronic microscopic and infrared spectroscopy. The effect of reduction time on the electrochemical properties was evaluated by the electrocatalytic properties of the obtained material from the oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies. The presence of AuNPs improved the AA electrocatalysis by reducing oxidation potential and lowering charge transfer resistance. EIS data were fitted using a transmission line model. The results indicated an increase in the electronic transport of the polymeric film in the presence of AuNPs. However, PPy overoxidation occurs when the AuNPs’ deposition is higher than 30 s. In PPy/AuNPs 15 s, smaller and less agglomerated particles were formed with fewer PPy overoxidized, confirming the observed electrocatalytic behavior.     

The importance of the film structure during self-powered ibuprofen salicylate drug release from polypyrrole electrodeposited on AZ31 Mg

Therapeutic drugs uploaded into conjugated conductive polymer matrices deposited on active magnesium alloys serve as controlled-dose, self-powered drug-delivery systems. Preferentially, drugs are added into polymer films in the largest amount possible, mostly to prevent long-term treatments. However, added drugs can interact with the polymer matrix affecting either the structure or the final mechanical properties of the polymer film. In this work, polypyrrole films (PPy) electrodeposited on an AZ31 Mg alloy in ibuprofen and salicylate-containing solutions are investigated in terms of their uploading capacity, surface morphology and mechanical properties. The techniques used to investigate the uploaded PPy films include cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDS, and depth-sensing indentation (DSI). A maximum ibuprofen concentration of 440 ± 40 μg cm^?2 was obtained in PPy films in the presence of sodium salicylate. The release fraction of ibuprofen as a function of time is fitted to Avrami’s equation. The hardness and reduced modulus decreased by 54 and 40 %, respectively, when the PPy films are prepared in the presence of sodium ibuprofen compared with those prepared in sodium salicylate only, indicating a more plastic film with ibuprofen.     

New biocompatible polypyrrole-based films with good blood compatibility and high electrical conductivity

A novel O-butyryl chitosan (OBCS)-grafted polypyrrole (PPy) film was described. The immobilization was accomplished by photocrosslinking the OBCS onto PPy films under ultraviolet light irradiation. The surfaces of OBCS-grafted PPy film were characterized by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The blood compatibility of the OBCS-grafted PPy film was evaluated by platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contacting experiments and protein adsorption experiments in vitro. These results have demonstrated that the surface with immobilized OBCS shows much less platelet adhesive and fibrinogen adsorption compared to the control surface. The bulk conductivity values of PPy films were measured by a modified four-probe method. The composite films have both good blood compatibility and high electrical conductivity that make them suitable for using as potential biomaterials, such as electrically conducting blood vessel and functionally haemocompatible substrate of biosensor used directly in whole blood.     

Electrochemistry of conductive polymers 39. Contacts between conducting polymers and noble metal nanoparticles studied by current-sensing atomic force microscopy

Electrical properties of contacts formed between conducting polymers and noble metal nanoparticles have been examined using current-sensing atomic force microscopy (CS-AFM). Contacts formed between electrochemically prepared pi-conjugated polymer films such as polypyrrole (PPy), poly(3-methylthiophene) (P3MeT), as well as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and noble metal nanoparticles including platinum (Pt), gold (Au), and silver (Ag) have been examined. The Pt nanoparticles were electrochemically deposited on a pre-coated PPy film surface by reducing a platinum precursor (PtCl62-) at a constant potential. Both current and scanning electron microscopic images of the film showed the presence of Pt islands. The Au and Ag nanoparticles were dispersed on the P3MeT and PEDOT film surfaces simply by dipping the polymer films into colloid solutions containing Au or Ag particles for specified periods (5 to approximately 10 min). The deposition of Au or Ag particles resulted from either their physical adsorption or chemical bonding between particles and the polymer surface depending on the polymer. When compared with PPy, P3MeT and PEDOT showed a stronger binding to Au or Ag nanoparticles when dipped in their colloidal solutions for the same period. This indicates that Au and Ag particles are predominantly linked with the sulfur atoms via chemical bonding. Of the two, PEDOT was more conductive at the sites where the particles are connected to the polymer. It appears that PEDOT has better aligned sulfur atoms on the surface and is strongly bonded to Au and Ag nanoparticles due to their strong affinity to gold and silver. The current-voltage curves obtained at the metal islands demonstrate that the contacts between these metal islands and polymers are ohmic.     

导电高聚物修饰纳米尺度TiO~2多孔膜电极的光电化学研究

用光电化学方法研究了用导电高聚物修饰的纳米晶TiO~2多孔膜电极在不含氧化还原对和含不同氧化还原对体系电解质溶液中的光电转换过程。TiO~2/导电高聚物多孔膜电极为双层n型半导体结构,内层TiO~2多孔膜的禁带宽度为3.26eV,外层聚吡咯(PPy)膜的禁带宽度为2.23eV,而聚苯胺(PAn)膜的禁带宽度为2.88eV。用导电高聚物修饰半导体电极能使其在可见光区的光吸收增加,光电流增强,且起始波长红移至>600nm,使宽禁带半导体电极的光电转换效率得到明显改善。     

Measurements of interface stress of silicon dioxide in contact with water-phenol mixtures by bending of microcantilevers

We use the bending of silicon microcantilevers to measure changes in mechanical stress at interfaces between phenol-water mixtures and SiO(2). The curvature of the microcantilever is measured by an optical system that combines a rapidly scanning laser beam, a position-sensitive detector, and lock-in detection to achieve a long-time stability on the order of 6 mN m(-1) over 4 h and a short-time sensitivity of better than 1 mN m(-1). Thermally oxidized Si shows the smallest changes in interface stress as a function of phenol concentration in water. For hydrophilic SiO(2) prepared by chemical treatment, the change in interface stress at 5 wt % phenol in water is larger than that of thermally oxidized Si by -60 mN m(-1); for SiO(2) formed by exposure of the silicon microcantilever to ozone, the change in surface stress is larger than that of thermally oxidized Si by -330 mN m(-1).     

A Highly Elastic and Reversibly Stretchable All‐Polymer Supercapacitor

Multiple stretchability has never been demonstrated as supercapacitors because the hydrogel used cannot fully recover after being heavily deformed. Now, a highly reversibly stretchable all‐polymer supercapacitor was fabricated using a developed double network hydrogel (DN hydrogel) as electrolyte and pure polypyrrole (PPy) as electrode. The DN hydrogel provides excellent mechanical properties, which can be stretched up to 500 % many times and then restore almost 100 % of the original length. To fabricate the fully recoverable stretchable supercapacitor, we annealed a free‐standing pure conducting polymer film as electrode so that the electrodes induced retardance is minimized. The as‐fabricated DN hydrogel/pure conducting polymer supercapacitors can be perfectly recovered from 100 % strain with almost no residual deformation left and the electrochemical performance can be maintained even after 1000 stretches (but not bending).     

Patterning of conducting polymers using charged self-assembled monolayers

We introduce a new approach to pattern conducting polymers by combining oppositely charged conducting polymers on charged self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). The polymer resist pattern behaves as a physical barrier, preventing the formation of SAMs. The patterning processes were carried out using commercially available conducting polymers: a negatively charged PEDOT/PSS (poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene)/poly(4-stylenesulphonic acid)) and a positively charged polypyrrole (PPy). A bifunctional NH 2 (positively charged) or COOH (negatively charged) terminated alkane thiol or silane was directly self-assembled on a substrate (Au or SiO 2). A suspension of the conducting polymers (PEDOT/PSS and PPy) was then spin-coated on the top surface of the SAMs and allowed to adsorb on the oppositely charged SAMs via an electrostatic driving force. After lift-off of the polymer resist, i.e., poly(methyl methacrylate, PMMA), using acetone, the conducting polymers remained on the charged SAMs surface. Optical microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy reveal that the prepared nanolines have low line edge roughness and high line width resolution. Thus, conducting polymer patterns with high resolution could be produced by simply employing charged bifunctional SAMs. It is anticipated that this versatile new method can be applied to device fabrication processes of various nano- and microelectronics.     

Electrochemistry of conductive polymers 37. Nanoscale monitoring of electrical properties during electrochemical growth of polypyrrole and its aging

Electrical and morphological properties of polypyrrole (PPy) films were studied during and after their electrochemical growth under various experimental conditions on a nanometer scale using a current-sensing atomic force microscope (CS-AFM). Of acetonitrile (ACN) solutions containing various amounts of water, one that contained 1.0% water produced the best quality films in their electrical and morphological properties in terms of homogeneities. The degree of doping, as well as time evolution of the film structure and its conductivity, of the PPy films was investigated during their growth in water and ACN with 1.0% water by obtaining the current images at a few designated growing stages, and the results were compared. Well-doped, conductive films were obtained from the very early stage during the electrodeposition of PPy in the ACN solution, while the films were poorly doped in water. As the film deposition progressed further in both aqueous and nonaqueous media, the doped areas spread over the whole surface leading to a more homogeneously conducting film. The current-voltage traces were obtained at each growing stage, which showed that the conductivity increases in both media as the PPy grows; the conductivity of the film grown in ACN is much higher than that of the film grown in water at all growing stages. The electrical properties of the PPy film deteriorated gradually upon exposure to air.     

新型导电聚合物-聚吡咯溴离子化学传感器

本文用电化学方法把导电聚合物聚吡咯(PPy)修饰在玻碳(GC)电极上, 研究了Br^-离子的掺杂效应和薄膜电极的电化学行为, 研制一种新型Br^-离子选择电极, 电极的响应机制是基于导电聚合物中阴离子的掺杂效应, 详细研究了聚合条件对电极电位响应性能的影响, 电极具有内阻小、响应快、抗毒化能力强、制备简便等优点, 电极对1x10^-^1-x10^-^4MBr^-呈能斯特响应, 检测下限7x10^-^5M, 斜率61mV/PBr^-。本文结果是化学修饰电极技术在化学传感器方面应用的有意义的尝试, 薄膜的良好导电性质使之更易于制备离子敏感电子学器件和生物电子学器件。     

Enhanced differentiation of embryonic and neural stem cells to neuronal fates on laminin peptides doped polypyrrole

PPy is a conducting polymer material that has been widely investigated for biomedical applications. hESCs and adult rNSCs were grown on four PPy surfaces doped with PSS or peptide from laminin (p20, p31, and a mixture of p20 and p31) respectively. After 7 d, both PPy/p20 and PPy/p31 promoted neuroectoderm formation from hESCs. After 14 d of culture, surfaces containing p20 showed the highest percentage of neuronal differentiation from hESC, while the PPy/p31 surface showed better cell attachment and spreading. In rNSCs cultures, a higher percentage of neurons were found on the PPy/p20 surface than other surfaces at 7 and 14 d. For differentiated neurons, p20 promoted both the primary and total neurite outgrowth. Longer primary neurites were found on p20-containing surfaces and a longer total neurite length was found on PPy/p20 surface. These results demonstrated that, by doping PPy with different bioactive peptides, differentiation of stem cells seeded at different stages of development is affected.     

Nanoscale degradation of polypyrrole films under oxidative stress: An atomic force microscopy study and review

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is employed to monitor the surface morphology of polypyrrole (PPy) films grown on vitreous carbon substrates during the catalytic reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III). The morphology of freshly-prepared films depends on substrate characteristics. Upon reaction, uniform nodules of aggregated PPy clusters appear. No significant differences in surface morphology are found between its oxidized and reduced forms. Loss of catalytic activity after 8-9 oxidation/reduction cycles of exposure to the chromate solution (oxidation) and electrochemical recharging of the film at negative potentials (reduction) correlates well with the observed polymer film dissolution/detachment from the carbon substrate. Formation of well-defined circular features (PPy rings) at different stages leads to a model for the film degradation process that includes formation of Cl₂ gas inside the polymer matrix. In the final stages, the bulk of the film typically fractures and detaches from the electrode. A catalytically inactive, ultrathin PPy layer remains on the substrate even after prolonged exposure to the target solution. A review of techniques for the study of PPy aging/degradation is given.     

The Effect of Electrochemical Modification of Activated Carbons by Polypyrrole on Their Structure Characteristics,Composition of Surface Compounds,and Adsorption Properties

The electrochemical modification of activated carbons (AC) by a conducting polymer polypyrrole (PPy) has a substantial effect on the AC structure characteristics, electrochemical properties, and adsorption activity with respect to natural substances (by the example of free hemoglobin). Using the method of standard contact porosimetry (SCP), the porous structure and hydrophilic–hydrophobic properties are studied for the activated carbon SKT-6A, the [SKT-6A/PPy/Cl^–] composite, and individual polypyrrole. The chemistry of the activated carbon surface is studied by the standardized Boehm method. It is shown that the nature of activated carbon and its initial surface substantially affect the character of its interaction with the conducting polymer polypyrrole. The effect of such modification on the AC surface chemistry should be considered in aggregate by taking into account each component of such modification. The increase in the sorption ability of [AC/PPy/Cl^–] composites with respect to hemoglobin is largely associated with the stronger hydrophilicity of polypyrrole as compared with activated carbons.     

Improved Dental Composites Utilizing Dibenzylidene Sorbitol Networks

Dibenzylidene sorbitol (DBS) is a sugar derivative that is capable of self-organizing into a 3D nanofibrillar network at relatively low concentrations in a wide variety of organic solvents and polymer melts to induce physical gelation. This research was aimed at determining the effect of DBS networks on vinyl conversion, polymerization shrinkage, and mechanical strength of bioactive dental composites containing zirconyl-modified amorphous calcium phosphate (Zr-ACP) and a polymer matrix derived from the photopolymerization of ethoxylated bisphenol-A dimethacrylate (EBPADMA). Flexural strength was enhanced while polymerization shrinkage and its associated stress development were both significantly reduced by the incorporation of DBS into the composites, suggesting that DBS may be a useful additive for dental composites.     

Study on the preparation and multiproperties of the polypyrrole films doped with different ions

Conducting polypyrrole (PPy) films doped with p‐toluene solfonate (pTS^?), perchlorate (ClO₄^?) and polyphosphate (PP^?) were electrochemically synthesized on the stainless steel SS‐304 and the Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) glass substrates successfully. The conducting polymer composite films were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectra, integrated thermal analysis system and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Four‐point probe measurements and in situ nanotribolab system equipped with a nanoscale electrical contact resistance package were employed to analyze their electrical and mechanical properties. Results indicate that the film doped with PP^? ion showed the best thermal stability. For the ClO₄^? ion doped films, the glass transition occurred at 274.8 °C. The pTS^? ion doped film on the SS‐304 steel had a good conductivity, and there was a voltage barrier that ranged from ?1.25 to 1.9 V according to the current–voltage curves. Nanoindentation tests show that the mechanical properties of the PPy/pTS^? film and the PPy/PP^? film were better than that of PPy/ClO₄^? films. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

无标记DNA在氨基改性导电聚吡咯表面的固定/杂交

通过吡咯(Py)与其衍生物——6-吡咯己胺(PyHA)的共聚物聚(吡咯-co-6-吡咯己胺)[poly(Py-co-PyHA)]的合成研究,并采用电化学循环伏安法来考察体系的电化学活性.在缓冲溶液中,由于探针DNA链上的负电荷与共聚物分子链上的正电荷之间存在强烈的静电吸引力,使得DNA能够固定在导电聚合物膜上.实验结果证明,目标DNA和聚吡咯薄膜之间不存在非特异性吸附,而能和探针DNA进行顺利杂交.此结果为以后研究更为敏感的DNA固定及导电聚合物敏感膜提供了实验基础.