Choudhary M., Islam R.U., Witcomb M.J., Mallick K.
Department of Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland-Park 2006, South Africa; DST, NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS 2050, South Africa
Choudhary, M., Department of Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland-Park 2006, South Africa; Islam, R.U., Department of Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland-Park 2006, South Africa; Witcomb, M.J., DST, NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS 2050, South Africa; Mallick, K., Department of Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland-Park 2006, South Africa
We report on a bottom up approach for the synthesis of a Pd-polypyrrole nanocomposite material. The composite material was characterized by means of different techniques, such as UV-vis, IR, and Raman spectroscopy, which offered information about the chemical structure of the polymer, whereas electron microscopy images provided information regarding the morphology of the composite material and the distribution of the metal particles in the polymer matrix. During the synthesis of the nanocomposite, the Pd nanoparticles act as a catalyst for a model proton-coupled electron transfer reaction. The Pd-polypyrrole nanocomposite material was also used as a catalyst for the electro-catalytic detection of tryptophan, a precursor for some neurotransmitters. This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2014.