Recent Advances in Bipolar Electrochemistry with Conducting Polymers

Abstract

Conducting polymers have been extensively studied due to their potential applications ranging from sensing to energy storage, and environmental remediation. They can be easily generated by electrosynthesis and have also very interesting electrochemical features, which have been mostly examined with classic electrochemical approaches. Bipolar electrochemistry offers an attractive alternative way to synthesize and characterize the physico‐chemical properties of conducting polymers. The wireless and asymmetric features of bipolar electrochemistry can be advantageously combined with the electroactivity, tunability and easy processability of conducting polymers. This synergy has been increasingly explored in recent years for the controlled electrogeneration, surface modification and characterization of different π‐conjugated polymers. This review summarizes the advances in this context and also discusses some unconventional applications such as wireless light‐emitting devices and actuators.

Wireless electrochemical actuation of soft materials towards chiral stimuli

“…Such a concept has been used to design electrochemically driven crawlers, pumps, switches, and mechanical transducers of chemical information in solution. [44][45][46][47][48][49][50] In this context, wireless electromechanical actuation was explored for the transduction of chiral information in solution. For example, Assavapanumat et al designed the first wireless enantioselective actuator, by using an imprinted hybrid platinum-Ppy device.…”

“…Such a concept has been used to design electrochemically driven crawlers, pumps, switches, and mechanical transducers of chemical information in solution. 44–50…”

“…For example, Kuhn et al proposed a mechanism of actuation of polypyrrole based on a double break of symmetry. 44 In this case a charged polypyrrole doped with dodecylbenzene sulfonate was used as a polymeric actuator. The first break of symmetry is based on the wireless asymmetric polarization of the polymeric cantilever triggered by bipolar electrochemistry.…”

Wireless electromechanical enantio‐responsive valves

“…BE has gained considerable attention due to its broad range of applications from electroanalysis 20,21 and electrosynthesis 22,23 to motion generation 24 . The approach is based on the asymmetric polarization of a conducting object due to the presence of an external electric field ( ε ) 25–28 . This produces a polarization potential difference ( ΔV ) between the extremities of the object.…”

Wireless Imaging of Transient Redox Activity Based on Bipolar Light-Emitting Electrode Arrays

“…Electrochemical methods are powerful tools for the evaluation of redox activity of different species in solution . Bipolar electrochemistry (BE) is a particularly interesting approach due to the wireless generation of asymmetric electroactivity on the surface of a conducting object. − In the simplest experimental configuration, a conducting object is freely positioned in an electrolyte solution between two feeder electrodes. Upon exposure to an external electric field (ε), a polarization potential difference (Δ V ) is generated along the object.…”