Synthesis of micromulti-prisms polypyrrole boxes in the presence of α-cyclodextrin

Polypyrrole (PPy) boxes with micromulti-prisms have been synthesized in aqueous solution via a self-assembled method using α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) as a dopant and FeCl3 as an oxidant. The morphology and the micro-structure of the as-synthesized PPy boxes were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum. The formation mechanism of the PPy boxes structure was also discussed. And the congregated structure of dissociative pyrrole monomers with the inclusion complexes (between α-CD and pyrrole monomer) was proposed to play a significant role in forming the multi-prisms sectional PPy-CD boxes.