HIGH-QUALITY POLYTHIOPHENE FILMS PREPARED BY ELECTROPOLYMERIZATION OFTHIOPHENE IN BF3-ETHYL ETHER SOLUTION

Polythiophene films have been deposited on a platinum electrode surfac e by direct oxidation of thiophene in BF3-ethyl ether solution contain ing a controlled amount of water (5 mM). The electric and mechanical p roperties of the films were studied. Experimental results demonstrated that the films prepared at low applied potentials were semiconductors with conductivities in the order of 10(-1) s cm(-1). The strengths of these films were high and comparable to those of some widely used eng ineering plastics such as poly(propylene) and poly(vinyl acetate). The conductivities of the PT films varied with the value of applied poten tial used for electrolysis and passed through a maximum of 19.13 s cm( -1) at 1.6 V. At a given applied potential, low experimental temperatu re; and monomer concentration led to formation of films with high qual ity. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.