Water-Assisted Vapor Deposition of PEDOT Thin Film

Macromol Rapid Commun. 2015 Jul;36(13):1283-9. doi: 10.1002/marc.201500069. Epub 2015 Apr 17.

Abstract

The synthesis and characterization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) using water-assisted vapor phase polymerization (VPP) and oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD) are reported. For the VPP PEDOT, the oxidant, FeCl3 , is sublimated onto the substrate from a heated crucible in the reactor chamber and subsequently exposed to 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) monomer and water vapor in the same reactor. The oCVD PEDOT was produced by introducing the oxidant, EDOT monomer, and water vapor simultaneously to the reactor. The enhancement of doping and crystallinity is observed in the water-assisted oCVD thin films. The high doping level observed at UV-vis-NIR spectra for the oCVD PEDOT, suggests that water acts as a solubilizing agent for oxidant and its byproducts. Although the VPP produced PEDOT thin films are fully amorphous, their conductivities are comparable with that of the oCVD produced ones.

Keywords: conductivity; morphology; poly(3;4-ethylenedioxythiophene); vapor deposition; water vapor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / chemical synthesis*
  • Chlorides / chemistry*
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Ferric Compounds / chemistry*
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Polymerization
  • Polymers / chemical synthesis*
  • Thiophenes / chemistry*
  • Volatilization
  • Water / chemistry*

Substances

  • 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene
  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic
  • Chlorides
  • Ferric Compounds
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Polymers
  • Thiophenes
  • poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)
  • Water
  • ferric chloride