Synthesis of nano-structured polypyrrole/copper electrodes for nitrate and nitrite electroreduction

Thi Phuong Thoa Nguyen, Viet Thinh Nguyen, Nhat Nguyen Bui, Duong Kim Bao Do and Anh Minh Pham

Abstract

Nanostructured polypyrrole film was synthesized onto a copper electrode in solutions of oxalic and salicylic acids and their buffers. The electrooxidation of pyrrole to form polypyrrole film and the electroreduction of nitrate and nitrite ions at synthesized Ppy modified copper electrodes (Ppy/Cu) in potassium chloride aqueous solutions were studied using chronoamperometry. The nanoporous structure of the synthesized Ppy films was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nitrate and nitrite reduction were performed by an electrochemical method under potentiostatic conditions. The Ppy/Cu electrodes prepared in the oxalate buffer and salicylic acid solutions perform more stable catalytic activity for nitrate reduction; their service life is about ten times longer than that for the electrodes prepared in oxalic acid solution. After 20 h of electrolysis, the nitrite was reduced completely with 100% efficiency and the nitrate was reduced with 35% efficiency