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Mechanistic insights into the potentiodynamic electrosynthesis of PEDOT thin films at a polarizable liquid|liquid interface

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posted on 2024-10-23, 10:46 authored by Rob A. Lehane, Alonso Gamero-Quijano, José A. Manzanares, Micheál ScanlonMicheál Scanlon

Conducting polymer (CP) thin films find widespread use, for example in bioelectronic, energy harvesting and storage, and drug delivery technology. Electrosyn-thesis at a polarizable liquid|liquid interface using an aqueous oxidant and organic soluble monomer provides a route to free-standing and scalable CP thin films, such as poly(3,4- ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), in a single step at ambient conditions. Here, using the potentiodynamic technique of cyclic voltammetry, interfacial electrosynthesis involving ion exchange, electron transfer, and proton adsorption charge transfer processes is shown to be mechanistically distinct from CP electropolymerization at a solid electrode|electrolyte interface. During interfacial electrosynthesis, the applied interfacial Galvani potential difference controls the interfacial concentration of the oxidant, but not the CP redox state. Nevertheless, typical CP electropolymerization electrochemical behaviors, such as steady charge accumulation with each successive cycle and the appearance of a nucleation loop, were observed. By combining (spectro)electrochemical measurements and theoretical models, this work identifies the underlying mechanistic origin of each feature on the cyclic voltammograms (CVs) due to charge accumulated from Faradaic and capacitive processes as the PEDOT thin film grows. To prevent overoxidation during interfacial electrosynthesis with a powerful cerium aqueous oxidant, scan rates in excess 25 mV·s −1 were optimal. The experimental methodology and theoretical models outlined in this article provide a broadly generic framework to understand evolving CVs during interfacial electrosynthesis using any suitable oxidant/monomer combination

Funding

Designing Reactive Functionalised Soft Interfaces – Self-healing soft materials for solar energy conversion, energy storage, and sustainable low cost hydrogen production

Science Foundation Ireland

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Solar Energy Conversion without Solid State Architectures: Pushing the Boundaries of Photoconversion Efficiencies at Self-healing Photosensitiser Functionalised Soft Interfaces

European Research Council

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History

Publication

Journal of the American Chemical Society 146(42), pp. 28941–28951

Publisher

American Chemical Society

Other Funding information

(IRC) Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Award (grant no. GOIPD/2018/252). A.G.-Q. also acknowledges funding received from the César Nombela Programme 2023 - Comunidad de Madrid (Project N°- 2023-T1/TEC 29227). R.A.L. acknowledges funding received from an IRC Govern?ment of Ireland Postgraduate scholarship (grant no. GOIPG/ 2018/2132). J.A.M. acknowledges the support from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Spain) and the European Regional Development Funds (project PID2022-139953NB?I00).

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  • Chemical Sciences

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