Conducting polymer nanoparticles synthesized in an ionic liquid by chemical polymerisation

J.M. Pringle, Monash University
Orawan Ngamna, University of Wollongong
Jun Chen, University of Wollongong
Gordon G. Wallace, University of Wollongong
Maria Forsyth, Monash University
Douglas MacFarlane, Monash University

Document Type Journal Article

Pringle, J., Ngamna, O., Chen, J., Wallace, G. G., Forsyth, M. and MacFarlane, D. (2006). Conducting polymer nanoparticles synthesized in an ionic liquid by chemical polymerisation. Synthetic Metals, 156 (14-15), 979-983.

Abstract

Ionic liquids are ideal media for the synthesis and application of conducting polymers as they can exhibit excellent oxidative and reductive stability, allowing access to potentials outside the smaller electrochemical window of molecular solvent/electrolyte systems. Here we report the first use of an ionic liquid for the chemical synthesis of poly(pyrrole), poly(thiophene) and poly(terthiophene) using a variety of oxidants. The polymers have been analysed by UV–vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and dynamic light scattering, which shows the particles to be <500 nm diameter. TEM analysis shows the individual>poly(thiophene) particles to be <100 >nm.