Development of silver nanoparticle stabilized poly (aniline -co- pyrrole) for electrochemical application

Silver nanoparticles (Ag-Nps) decorated conducting copolymers of aniline and pyrrole monomers [poly (aniline -co- pyrrole)] have been synthesized through a simple in-situ chemical oxidative co-polymerization. The formation and characteristics of poly (aniline -co- pyrrole)-Ag have been confirmed using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The synthesized nanocomposite has been characterized using scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, RAMAN spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and UV-Visible spectroscopy have been used to identify the phase, morphology and thermal stability. The composite has been used to modify the glassy carbon electrode to obtain poly (aniline -co- pyrrole)-Ag/ GCE. Cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry have been used for the electrochemical sensing of uric acid. The modified GC electrode has shown an excellent electrocatalytic oxidation of uric acid to allantoin at neutral pH of phosphate buffer solution. The proposed sensor thus involves simple fabrication with high accuracy and sensitivity.