Structural and thermal characterization of PTSA doped polypyrrole–polytetrahydrofuran graft copolymer

Abstract

The thermal degradation processes of p-toluene sulfonate (PTS) doped polypyrrole (PPY) grown from the pyrrole moiety located at both the ends of polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) have been studied by direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry (DPMS) to gain structural information. To get a better insight, pyrolysis analysis on corresponding homopolymers, PTHF and PPY, have also been carried out. The DPMS data were in accordance with TGA results indicating a significant decrease in thermal stability of the copolymer with respect to both PPY and the matrix polymers. The data also pointed out the degradation of matrix polymer, PTHF during the electrochemical synthesis of polypyrrole on a PTHF coated anode. Although decomposition of matrix polymer occurred, the growth of pyrrole from the pyrrole moieties located at chain ends of PTHF was also confirmed. Thus, it has been proved that a low molecular weight copolymer of polypyrrole involving short chains of PTHF as the end groups has been synthesized.