Synthesis of Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) Hollow Spheres in CTAB/DBS — Mixed Surfactant Solutions

Abstract

Abstract Summary: Hollow microspheres of PEDOT (poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) ranging from 0.5 to 10 µm have been synthesized by chemically oxidative polymerization of EDOT(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) using ammonium persulfate in a catanionic surfactant solution obtained by mixing cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS). The effect of the molar ratio of CTAB to SDBS on the morphology of the PEDOT oxidation products has been investigated using SEM and TEM and by an analysis of the structural properties using UV‐visible, FTIR and Raman spectroscopies, elemental analysis and conductivity measurements. The electro‐catalytic activity of PEDOT hollow microspheres for the oxidation of ascorbic acid was investigated by cyclic voltammetry in a pH 6 citrate/phosphate buffer solution and compared to the activity of granular PEDOT particles formed in the absence of the catanionic surfactant.