Solvent-free chemical
oxidative polymerizations of pyrrole and
its derivatives, namely
N
-methylpyrrole and
N
-ethylpyrrole, were conducted by mechanical mixing of monomer
and solid FeCl
3
oxidant under nitrogen atmosphere. Polymerizations
occurred at the surface of the oxidant, and optical and scanning electron
microscopy studies confirmed production of atypical grains with diameters
of a few tens of micrometers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
studies indicated the presence of hydroxy and carbonyl groups which
were introduced during the polymerization due to overoxidation. The
polymer grains were doped with chloride ions, and the chloride ion
dopant could be removed by dedoping using an aqueous solution of sodium
hydroxide, which was confirmed by elemental microanalysis and X-ray
photoelectron spectroscopy studies. Water contact angle measurements
confirmed that the larger the alkyl group on the nitrogen of pyrrole
ring the higher the hydrophobicity and that the contact angles increased
after dedoping in all cases. The grains before and after dedoping
exhibited photothermal properties: the near-infrared laser irradiation
induced a rapid temperature increase to greater than 430 °C.
Furthermore, dedoped poly(
N
-ethylpyrrole) grains
adsorbed to the air–water interface and could work as an effective
liquid marble stabilizer. The resulting liquid marble could move on
a planar water surface due to near-infrared laser-induced Marangoni
flow and could disintegrate by exposure to acid vapor via redoping
of the poly(
N
-ethylpyrrole) grains.