Synthesis of palladium–polypyrrole nanocomposite and its electrocatalytic properties in the oxidation of formaldehyde

Three alternative methods were developed for the synthesis of modifying palladium–polypyrrole layers on the surface of an inert electrode. Their electrocatalytic activity toward formaldehyde under inert atmosphere was checked. All the suggested methods are one-stage and allow synthesis of a film on the electrode surface from a solution containing a palladium salt and pyrrole in the absence of other active reagents. The electrochemical methods (potentiodynamic and double cathodic and anodic pulses techniques) in an aqueous medium give films with poorly reproducible electrocatalytic properties, while the chemical redox synthesis affords films with reproducibly high electroactivity toward methylene glycolate.