Radiation‐Induced Synthesis of Nanostructured Conjugated Polymers in Aqueous Solution: Fundamental Effect of Oxidizing Species. Issue 1 (18th December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lattach, Youssef; Coletta, Cecilia; Ghosh, Srabanti; Remita, Samy
• Is Part Of: Chemphyschem. Volume 15:Issue 1(2014)
• Page Start: 208
• Page End: 218
• Publication Date: 2013-12-18
• Subjects: Chemistry, Physical and theoretical -- Periodicals; 541.05
• DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201300915
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1439-4235

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Synthesis of conjugated poly(3, 4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) polymers is achieved through the radiolysis of N₂O‐saturated aqueous solutions of 3, 4‐ethylenedioxythiophene by using two different oxidizing species: HO^. (hydroxyl) and N₃^. (azide) radicals. Both oxidative species lead to self‐assembled polymers that are evidenced in solution by cryotransmission electron microscopy and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy and, after centrifugation and deposition, by scanning electron microscopy and attenuated total reflectance FTIR techniques. Whereas HO^. radicals lead to PEDOT‐OH globular nanostructures with hydrophilic properties, N₃^. radicals enable the formation of amphiphilic PEDOT‐N₃ fibrillar nanostructures. These results, which highlight the differences in the intermolecular interaction behaviors of the two kinds of PEDOT polymers, are discussed in terms of polymerization mechanisms.</p> </abstract>