Role of polymer synthesis conditions for the copper electrodeposition in polyaniline, Pages 312-316

Polyaniline (PAN) layers are electrochemically synthesised by three different procedures - potentiostatic (PS), potentiodynamic (PD) and pulse potentiostatic (PP). Galvanostatic copper deposition and subsequent oxidation of copper species are studied on the three types of PAN layers. A marked difference in the deposition/dissolution behaviour is found depending on the type and redox state of PAN. Copper reduction is easily initiated at low overpotentials at oxidised PS and PP PAN specimens, whereas for oxidised PD layers copper deposition needs higher overpotentials. This difference is discussed in terms of various reduction behaviours of the three types of PAN. In general reduced PANs strongly inhibit copper nucleation and growth. Still a marked difference in the metal deposition on reduced PD and PP PANs on the one hand and reduced PS PAN on the other exists. This difference is related to the varying amount of defects in the three polymer structures, evidenced by SEM observation of Cu/PANcoated electrodes.