Polypyrrole Micro/Nanostructure Prepared Using Azo Dyes with Different Substituents

Abstract

This contribution deals with simple way of polypyrrole structure modification. Using azo dyes in polymerization reaction as soft-template with similar molecular structure but different type and distribution of substitution groups lead to formation of one-dimensional and newly also three-dimensional polypyrrole micro/nanostructures. These structures are characteristic with geometrical symmetry and uniformity. Geometry of prepared structures was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and by methods of image analysis; nanotubes are hundreds of nm in diameter and units of μm in length, new tree-dimensional structures have units of μm in diameter. Infrared spectra (ATR-FTIR) confirmed that azo dyes work only as intermediate supporting structures without reaction with polypyrrole.