Synthesis of polypyrrole nanocomposites decorated with silver nanoparticles with electrocatalysis and antibacterial property

Polypyrrole nanowire/silver nanoparticle composites (PPy/Ag) are obtained in aqueous media through a one-pot method without any external stimulus. PPy nanowires were assembled on the reactive self-degraded template of the complex of AgNO3 and methyl orange (MO). During the synthesis process in the dark surrounding, Ag nanoparticles could be uniformly decorated onto the surface of PPy nanowires in situ by the redox reaction of pyrrole and AgNO3. Neither additional reducing agents for the growth of silver nanoparticles nor oxidizing agents for the polymerization of pyrrole are utilized. The formation mechanism, morphologies, structural characteristics, and conductivity of the obtained PPy/Ag nanocomposites are reported. The as-prepared PPy/Ag nanocomposites exhibit well-defined response to the electrochemical reduction of hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, the preliminary antibacterial assays indicate that the PPy/Ag nanocomposites also possess antibacterial abilities against Escherichia coli.