Characterization of Conducting Copolymer of Pyrrole via Pyrolysis Mass Spectrometry

In this work, structural and thermal characterization of BF₄ ^? doped copolymer of pyrrole (PPy) with 2‐methylbutyl‐2‐(3‐thienyl)acetate prepared by electrochemical polymerization were performed via a pyrolysis mass spectrometry technique. The pyrolysis mass spectrometry data of the copolymer PPy/PMBTA, and the homopolymers; polypyrrole, PPy, and poly(2‐methylbutyl‐2‐(3‐thienyl)acetate), PMBTA were analyzed and compared. It has been determined that when the electrochemical polymerization of pyrrole was achieved on a PMBTA coated anode through the thiophene moieties of PMBTA, thermal stability of PMBTA chains increased slightly and the decomposition of both units followed quite similar pathways indicating an increase in the thermal stability of PMBTA chains unlike what was observed for PTSA doped PPy/PMBTA copolymer.