Abstract
An azamacrocyle doped polypyrrole is considered as a material showing heavy metal cation sensitivity and examples with Ni^2+^, Zn^2+^, and Cu^2+^ cations are tested. Heavy metal ion binding agent: 1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane (cyclam) or its derivatives were introduced into a conducting polymer film in different ways: i) neutral cyclam was incorporated by polymerization from 1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane containing solution, ii) 1,4,8,11‐tetraazacyclotetradecane‐1,4,8,11‐tetraacetate anions (TETA) were introduced, acting as co‐dopant ions in chloride containing solutions, iii) polymerization was carried out from solution containing pyrrole and a composite of pyrrole with Ni(II) cyclam derivative complex: N‐(4‐amino‐6‐(1,3,5,8,12‐pentaazacyclotetradecan‐3‐yl)‐1,3,5‐triazin‐2‐yl)‐1__H__‐pyrrole‐2‐carboxamide nickel(II) perchlorate (ET679). In KCl and NiCl~2~ solutions the freshly obtained oxidized polypyrrole layers modified by cyclam or TETA anions exhibited typical anion exchanging properties as confirmed in voltammetric and potentiometric experiments. Potentiometric cationic sensitivity and selectivity towards nickel ions was induced after conditioning or polarization in alkaline (NaOH or KOH) media and Ni^2+^ solution; this was accompanied by Ni(II) retention in the polymer film. Similar cationic sensitivity was observed also for polypyrrole with cyclam in case of Zn^2+^ and Cu^2+^ ions.