Polyaniline and polypyrrole oxygen reversible electrodes

• DOI: 10.1016/j.synthmet.2007.03.008
• Publication Date: 2007-05-16T12:46:03Z
• Authors: Aimei Wu; Everaldo C. Venancio; Alan G. MacDiarmid
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 7. Clean energy

Abstract The effect of oxygen on the potential of reduced forms of polyaniline and polypyrrole were investigated. These forms of polyaniline and polypyrrole were not stable in the presence of oxygen. Zinc–polyaniline, zinc–polypyrrole, polyaniline–polyaniline (PANI–PANI), and polypyrrole–polypyrrole (PPy–PPy) batteries were constructed and studied. The effect of oxygen on the short-circuit current of these batteries showed that the cathode material, i.e., polyaniline and polypyrrole, can be regenerated by oxygen oxidation after discharge. These materials are potential candidates for the use as O 2 “fuel cell” type electrocatalytic electrodes.