Electropolymerization of polypyrrole by bipolar electrochemistry in an ionic liquid

Bipolar electrochemistry has been recently explored for the modification of conducting micro- and nanoobjects with various surface layers. So far, it has been assumed that such processes should be carried out in low-conductivity electrolytes in order to be efficient. We report here the first bipolar electrochemistry experiment carried out in an ionic liquid, which by definition shows a relatively high conductivity. Pyrrole has been electropolymerized on a bipolar electrode, either in ionic liquid or in acetonitrile. The resulting polymer films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and by contact profilometry. We demonstrate that the films obtained in an ionic liquid are thinner and smoother than the films synthesized in acetonitrile. Furthermore, a well-defined band of polypyrrole can be obtained in ionic liquid, in contrast to acetonitrile for which the polypyrrole film is present on the whole anodic part of the bipolar electrode.