Study of the electrosynthesis of thinconducting polymers hydro-sponges films

• Grant number: 13/25159-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2014
• End date: March 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Susana Inés Córdoba de Torresi
• Grantee: María Belén González
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 09/53199-3 - Molecular recognition and energy storage: fundamental studies concerning geometry, size and synthesis effects on the optimization of the chemical properties of electroactive materials, AP.TEM

Abstract

The production of conducting hydro-sponges which form thin films constitutes an important research area in terms of theoretical knowledge because it is a nanostructured tridimensional material. On the other hand the incorporation of species into the nanoestructured polymer matrix has attracted great attention due to their application in several fields such as electrocatalysis, electroanalysis and medical devices . In particular, the antibacterial activity of silver ions is very well known but the unique properties of silver nanoparticles make them useful as bactericide agents . Silver nanoparticles in polymers can constitute effective antimicrobial biomaterials for a variety of promising applications. It was postulated that nanoparticles release silver ions, which will have an additional contribution to the bactericidal effect of the silver nanoparticles. Thus, the uptake of silver ions could improve the conducting hydro-sponges properties. The main aim of this project is to study the growth mechanism of polypyrrole and polyaniline hydro-sponges in the form of thin films using electrochemical and microscopic techniques and QCM-D. In addition, to study the hydro-sponges doped with silver nanoparticles as well as their antibacterial activity.