Polyacetylene as heterogeneous catalyst for electroless deposition of bulk amorphous metals

Abstract

Polyacetylene shows catalytic activity in an aqueous solution for electroless deposition of amorphous alloys. The catalytic activity of polyacetylene is comparable to the activity of some highly catalytic metals, i.e., Cu, steel, and Pt. Modifications of the Shirakawa technique led to the formation of a foam-like polyacetylene, which is highly porous and has a low degree of crystallinity. This material can be used as a catalytic substrate for the preparation of amorphous metals in bulk form. The amorphous Ni–Co–B and Ni–Co–P alloys deposited on a PAc substrate were investigated by magneto-thermogravimetry and x-ray diffraction. These investigations gave a Curie temperature of about 413 K and a crystallization temperature of about 600 K for the metal-metalloid component of the system.