Polyelectrolyte-Cu(II) interactions studied by cyclic voltammetry

SUMMARY The polymer-metal ion interactions were studied by cyclic voltammetry. These were carried out with poly(acrylic acid)-Cu(II) and poly(vinylsulfonic acid)-Cu(II) systems at different pH. At low pH, the polymer was adsorbed on the electrode surface increasing the irreversibility of the Cu²⁺/Cu(s) redox system. At pH 2.7, it was possible to demonstrate that the interaction between Cu(II) and poly(vinylsulfonic acid) is basically electrostatic and with poly(acrylic acid) a complex formation also exists. Received: 5 April 2000/Accepted: 16 August 2000