Electrically conductive composite prepared by template polymerization of pyrrole into a complexed polymer

Electrically conducting polymer composite films have been synthesized by the exposure of poly(4-vinylpyridine) complexed with cupric ions to pyrrole and water vapor. To immobilize a stoichiometric amount of the oxidant inside the polymer matrix, the ratio of poly(4-vinylpyridine)/cupric ion = 1.8 was chosen. Polypyrrole was formed in this tailored structure by a template polymerization process. Opaque polymer composite films with electrical conductivity up to 60 (Ω cm)^?1 have been obtained by this method, However, slightly colored transparent composite thin films with a conductivity as high as 50 (Ω cm)^?1 were also produced. The electrically conducting polymer composite films and the metal-polymer complex have been characterized by XPS and IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, EDX, and scanning electron microscopy. The polymerization process was also followed by use of a quartz crystal microbalance. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.