Use of the Polymer Material as Reductant

Conducting polymers may take different interconvertable oxidation states and therefore provide the possibility for chemical (electroless) deposition of metals. Metal ion reduction occurs at the expense of the transition from lower to higher oxidation state of the CP material  

In spite of the great number of investigations on CP-driven chemical deposition of metal particles there have been almost no attempts to address the mechanism of this process, either in homogeneous or heterogeneous cases. In a homogeneous system with dispersed metal ions and CP species, the process most probably includes continuous formation of metal nuclei that provide a catalytic surface for further reduction of metal ions and give rise to autocatalytic growth [254]. 

Metal-ion source Polymer type (method of synthesis) Reductant (initial Me particle size Ref. 

AuCb (lOmM) PPY, PANI, PEDOT (chem.) Doped and base-treated 1000 or 100-400 nm (PPY) (depending on pH) 217 

AgNOa (0.01 mM) PANI membranes ES, EB lim structures (depending on dopant type) 220 

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