2606
Enhanced Electrochemical Activity of Polyaniline-Ferricyanide Films in Neutral Electrolyte

Tuesday, 15 May 2018
Ballroom 6ABC (Washington State Convention Center)
R. M. West and L. Marinelli (University of San Francisco)
We have successfully developed a two-step chronopotentiometric routine for electropolymerizing a polyaniline-ferricyanide film with stable electroactivity in neutral pH electrolyte containing 1 M KCl. Here we present a spectroscopic, electrochemical, and gravimetric analysis of these films to determine the nature of doping and role of the ferricyanide ion. The experimental evidence currently supports the hypothesis that the presence of ferricyanide alters the electrochemical behavior of the films in 1 M KCl, specifically the films are found to be conducting in non-acidic media. The spectroscopic evidence suggests that the Fe(CN)6 interacts with the nitrogen atoms on the PANI chain, resulting in the increased presence of polarons (mostly localized) even while the film is in the emeraldine base form. Gravimetric measurements provide insight into the role of anion and proton exchange during voltammetric cycling.