Synthesis, characterization, and applications of a novel poly(4-[pyrrol-1-yl methyl]benzoic acid)–silver composite

This article describes the manner in which a novel composite compound was synthesized using a novel method and optimized using a poly(4-[pyrrol-1-yl methyl]benzoic acid) (PPy-b) polymer and very little amount of metallic silver microparticles. The deposition of the polymer film on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate surface was performed by electrochemical oxidation of the monomer in acetonitrile medium at an imposed potential. The incorporation of silver microparticles was carried out by immersing the modified electrode in a solution of silver nitrate to complex the Ag+ ions with the carboxylic group (COOH) present in the backbone of the polymer, followed by an electrochemical reduction of the complex to precipitate the silver in the form of metallic microparticles in the polymer film. Different characterization techniques (cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and surface analysis techniques) were used to optimize the prepared material. Despite the very small quantity of silver (a few micrograms), inserted into the polymer film, the composite material thus obtained had good electrical, optical, and catalytic properties.