Abstract

When solid polyacrylamide (PAam) is added to a solution of bismuth chloride, a polymeric salt of composition (CH₂-CH-CONH₂)n BiCl₃ (n > 10) is obtained. This amorphous material is transparent in the visible. In this hybrid, bismuth seems to be coordinated both to amine and carbonyl groups. When the PAam-BiCI₃ hybrid is swollen with a KI solution, the corresponding iodide salt is formed with probably small particles of Bil₃ precipitated into the polymeric matrix. Chemical, thermal, and optical (in the UV, visible, and infrared regions) properties of the salt and of the composite are studied.