ELECTROPOLYMERIZATION OF BITHIOPHENE ON PT AND FE ELECTRODES IN AN AQUEOUS SODIUM DODECYL-SULFATE (SDS) MICELLAR MEDIUM

A new method for preparing polythiophene films by electrochemical oxid ation of bithiophene in an aqueous micellar medium on iron and platinu m electrodes is described. It is shown that sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS ) increases the solubility of bithiophene in water, lowers its oxidati on potential and inhibits the dissolution of an iron electrode. Polybi thiophene films prepared by this technique are very homogeneous and ad herent to the electrode surface. X-ray photoelectron and IR spectrosco py indicates that both dodecylsulfate anion and perchlorate are involv ed in the polymer doping process. Raman analysis shows that the quanti ty of structural defects in the polymer chains decreases with decreasi ng film thickness. The morphology of the films imaged by scanning elec tronic and atomic force microscopy shows that disorder at the polymer surface increases with film thickness.