Bicontinuous Microemulsion-Derived Polypyrrole–Graphene Nanoplatelet Composites for Room-Temperature Hydrogen Sensing

Guldana Zhigerbayeva, Yerbolat Magazov, Asset Aliyev, Vladislav Kudryashev, Kenan Song, Nurxat Nuraje

2026

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DOI 10.1016/j.polymer.2026.131000
Data confidence 85 high
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Abstract

Controlling gas-accessible porosity while retaining electrical continuity is a central challenge in conducting-polymer composites. We hypothesized that oxidative polymerization along the continuous oil–water interface of a nonionic bicontinuous microemulsion (BME), combined with a low graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) loading, would limit dense polypyrrole (PPy) aggregation and generate a more accessible conducting network. PPy and PPy–GNP materials containing 0.5–3.0 wt% GNP were therefore prepared by one-step BME polymerization. The textural properties varied non-monotonically with GNP content. PPy–GNP 0.5 wt% exhibited a BET surface area of 30.2 ± 1.2 m 2 /g and a BJH pore volume of 0.36 cm 3 /g, corresponding to approximately 2.8- and 7.2-fold increases, respectively, over pure PPy. Higher GNP loadings reduced nitrogen-accessible porosity, consistent with competition between spacer-assisted network opening and nanoplatelet aggregation or pore occupation. Room-temperature H 2 exposure was used as a proof-of-function test of this morphology. Relative to pure PPy, the 0.5 wt% composite produced a larger concentration-dependent resistance response over 1–100 ppm and response and recovery times of approximately 44 and 64 s at 100 ppm. A distinguishable transient was also observed at the lowest nominal concentration tested, 0.05 ppm. The combined structural and electrical results are consistent with improved gas access in the more openly packed BME-derived PPy–GNP material. The study establishes BME polymerization as a versatile route for coupling nanocarbon incorporation with composition-dependent pore formation in conducting-polymer networks.