Polymer nanowires or nanopores? Site selective filling of titania nanotubes with polypyrrole

Photo-assisted electrodeposition of an electrochemically active polypyrrole layer on anatase type titanium dioxide nanotube arrays

“…Our result is different from that of Kowalski et al [11], who suggest that SDBS at micellar concentration favours PPy deposition in or between the tubes, even though the experimental conditions for PPy formation in their work (anodic current pulses with very high amplitude) were very different from ours.…”

“…In spite of these convincing observations, UV light was not always used in several other works published later on and sharing the same goal, i.e. electrodeposition of PPy on TiO 2 -NTAs [11,13] which led incidentally or not in both studies to polypyrrole films whose electrochemical activity was not evidenced. On the other hand, localisation of polypyrrole electrodeposition was selected in a convincing and accurate manner by using SDBS at a micellar concentration as well as current pulses shown to favour diffusion of pyrrole into or between the TiO 2 nanotubes depending on the inner diameter of the tubes and the void between them [11].…”

“…electrodeposition of PPy on TiO 2 -NTAs [11,13] which led incidentally or not in both studies to polypyrrole films whose electrochemical activity was not evidenced. On the other hand, localisation of polypyrrole electrodeposition was selected in a convincing and accurate manner by using SDBS at a micellar concentration as well as current pulses shown to favour diffusion of pyrrole into or between the TiO 2 nanotubes depending on the inner diameter of the tubes and the void between them [11]. In some yet more recent contributions, beneficial effect of light on the electrodeposition process of electronically conducting polymers on metal oxide type semiconductors was thoroughly investigated and evidenced in the course of the photoelectrochemical polymerisation of PANI and PPy on nanoporous WO 3 , PANI on TiO 2 -NTAs [12].…”

Self-organized Anodic TiO2 Nanotubes: Functionalities and Applications Due to a Secondary Material

“…In turn, by using electropolymerization, the were able to obtain polypyrole filling in the tubes (in fact replica structures of the tube interiors). As polypyrrole is resistant against HF, they dissolved by HF soaking selectively TiO 2 nanotubes, leaving nicely ordered polypyrrole nanotube or nanoporous arrays [80]. In fact, this is also the true templating approach.…”

Nano-lamellar/nano-tubular hierarchical porous structure produced by selective dissolution and anodization of lamellar Ti-40 at.% Al alloy

“…The pores or tubes which are composed of TiO 2 have attracted great attentions due to their bio-compatibility and unique semiconductive nature for the potential applications such as wettability control [6], dye-sensitized solar cells [7][8][9][10], and the template for the formation of nanotubes or nanowires [11].…”