Nanocomposite with Polypyrrole Encapsulated within SBA-15 Mesoporous Silica: Preparation and Its Electrochemical Application

The nanocomposite with polypyrrole (PPy) confined in ordered mesoporous silica SBA-15 channels was synthesized by in situ electropolymerization. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N-2 adsorption/desorption, and FT-IR studies indicated that the nanocomposite has the well-ordered hexagonal structures and PPy was in situ polymerized into the channels instead of the outer surface of SBA-15. Furthermore, the PPy/SBA-15 nanocomposite was used as an electrode modifier. We found that the nanocomposite-modified electrode exhibited good electrocatalytic activities for hydroquinone oxidation where PPy chains could facilitate the electron transfer between molecular sieves and electrode surface. Three dihydroxybenzene isomers (hydroquinone, catechol and resorcinol) have been successfully detected at PPy/SBA-15 modified electrode by preconcentration of the analyte.