Synthesis and characterization of polypyrrole-palladium nanocomposite-coated latex particles and their use as a catalyst for Suzuki coupling reaction in aqueous media.

Polypyrrole-palladium (PPy-Pd) nanocomposite was deposited in situ from aqueous solution onto micrometer-sized polystyrene (PS) latex particles. The PS seed particles and resulting composite particles were extensively characterized with respect to particle size and size distribution, morphology, surface/bulk chemical compositions, and conductivity. PPy-Pd nanocomposite loading onto the PS seed latex particles was systematically controlled over a wide range (10-60 wt %) by changing the weight ratio of the PS latex and PPy-Pd nanocomposite. Pd loading was also controlled between 6 and 33 wt %. The conductivity of pressed pellets increased with the PPy-Pd nanocomposite loading and four-point probe measurements indicated conductivities ranging from 3.0 x 10(-1) to 7.9 x 10(-6) S cm(-1). Hollow capsule and broken egg-shell morphologies were observed by scanning/transmission electron microscopy after extraction of the PS component from the composite particles, which confirmed a PS core and PPy-Pd nanocomposite shell morphology. X-ray diffraction confirmed that the production of elemental Pd and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated the existence of elemental Pd on the surface of the composite particles. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that nanometer-sized Pd particles were distributed in the shell. The nanocomposite particles functioned as an efficient catalyst for Suzuki-type coupling reactions in aqueous media for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds.