The electrochemical behavior of C 60 -Pd polymer formed under electrochemical conditions and by the chemical synthesis was examined. In these polymers, fullerene moieties are covalently bonded to palladium atoms to form a polymeric network. Both materials deposited at the electrode surface show electrochemical activity at negative potentials due to the reduction of fullerene cage. Electrochemically formed thin polymeric films exhibit much more reversible voltammetric response in comparison to chemically synthesized polymers. The morphology and electrochemical behavior of chemically synthesized C 60 -Pd polymer depend on the composition of grown solution. Chemical polymerization results in formation of large, ca. 50 μm, crystallic superficial structures that are composed of regular spherical particles with a diameter of 150 nm. The capacitance properties of C 60 -Pd films were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and faradaic impedance spectroscopy. Specific capacitance of chemically formed films depends on the conditions of film formation. The best capacitance properties was obtained for films containing 1:3 fullerene to Pd molar ratio. For these films, specific capacitance of 35 Fg −1 was obtained in acetonitrile containing (n-C 4 H 9 ) 4 NClO 4 . This value is much lower in comparison to the specific capacitance of electrochemically formed C 60 -Pd film.

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A simple approach to the synthesis of core–shell C60‐Pd@polypyrrole nanoparticles is described. The nanoparticles were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence, infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Special attention was devoted to the electrochemical properties of the C60‐Pd@polypyrrole nanoparticles. Thin films formed from these nanoparticles exhibited a large potential range of electrochemical activity. Oxidation of the polypyrrole component was observed at positive potentials. Reduction of the C60‐Pd inner core in a negative potential range depended on the thickness of the outer polypyrrole layer. With a thin outer shell (less than approximately 20 nm), electrons and counter ions can be transported through it, enabling reduction of the inner C60‐Pd phase. Owing to the different redox properties of the two nanoparticle components, these systems represent spherical p–n nanojunctions.

The composites of C 60 -Pd polymer and carbon nanostructures, single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and graphene, were synthesized chemically in benzene solution containing zero-valent Pd complex, C 60 , and carbon nanostructure. Two kinds of morphologies are observed on the surface of carbon nanoparticles during polymer deposition. Initially, a thin layer of 5 nm C 60 -Pd polymeric nanoparticles is formed. Next, these particles aggregate into bigger spherical structures ca. 150 nm in diameter. The capacitance performance of synthetized materials was investigated. Specific capacitances per mass of the polymer in the composite are significantly higher in comparison to pure chemically formed polymeric material. This effect is related to the nanostructured morphology of composite resulting in the higher efficiency of charge accumulation.Since carbon nanotubes were discovered, 1 a lot of work was dedicated to the development of materials containing nanotubes and conducting polymers. 2-10 These systems possess novel properties with superior characteristics than either of the individual components. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Carbon nanotube films with a high surface area allow electrochemical deposition or chemical polymerization of significant amounts of conducting polymers. Composites of conducting polymers with carbon nanotubes are promising electrode materials as supercapacitors because of their good conductivity, high surface area and their good ability to store energy. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] Recently, a lot of attention has been also focused on graphene -the newest carbon material, which is preferred over other conventional carbon materials due to the ease synthesis, cost effectiveness, high theoretical specific surface area, high electrical conductivity, mechanical strength and chemical stability comparable with or even better than CNTs. 26,27 Electrodes composed of graphene sheets exhibit relatively good capacitance properties. 28-30 Graphene was also successfully used for formation of composites with conjugated polymers. These materials exhibit very promising capacitance properties. 31-36 However, the electrochemical behavior of graphene strongly depends on the synthesis method and functionalization of its surface. [37][38][39] So far, most studies have been limited to p-type polymers, such as polypyrrole, polyaniline, poliothiophene, and their derivatives. [40][41][42][43][44][45][46] We developed an electrochemical procedure for the formation of two-component fullerene films based on the electroreduction carried out in a solution containing fullerene 47-52 or fullerene derivatives 53-55 and various transition metal complexes. In these polymers, fullerene moieties are covalently bonded to transition metal atoms or their complexes to form a polymeric network. These materials exhibit electrochemical activity in the negative potential range due to the good electron-accepting properties of the fullerene moieties. The electropolymerization and electrochemical ...

Electrochemical deposition is a very efficient method for producing many types of modern materials. The method is not expensive and does not have a limit for sample size. In our work the preparation of Ni, Co and Fe nanowires is presented. The obtained nanowires had different diameter and length which were tunable by template porous material and time of deposition, respectively. The quality of the prepared wires was dependent also on deposition mode. The smallest wires of the diameter around 40 nm were prepared in porous anodic alumina oxide obtained from oxalic acid. The largest ones, around 120 nm, were produced in phosphoric acid. The length could be as large as the thickness of the oxide and reached up to about 1 µm. The morphology of wires was studied by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The magnetic characterization was done with usage of magnetic force microscopy and the Mössbauer spectroscopy. The wires show magnetization along their growth direction.