title: Electron-induced growth mechanism of conducting polymers: a coupled experimental and computational investigation.
abstract: Pulse radiolysis was used to study the mechanism of HO(•)-induced polymerization of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), PEDOT, in aqueous solution. A step-by-step mechanism has been found which involves a recurrent oxidation process by HO(•) hydroxyl radicals produced by water radiolysis. Furthermore, the cation radical, EDOT(•)(+), has been proposed as the promoter of the first step of polymerization. The determination of rate constants values and the attribution of transient and stable species were confirmed by molecular simulations and spectrokinetic analysis. Moreover, applying a series of electron pulses enabled in situ PEDOT polymerization. These polymers, which were characterized in solution or after deposition, form globular self-assembled structures with interesting conducting properties. Such a synthesis initiated for the first time by an electron accelerator gives us a glimpse of future promising industrial applications in the field of conducting polymers synthesis.
authors.affiliation: †Laboratoire de Chimie Physique, UMR 8000 CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, Faculté des Sciences d'Orsay, Bât 349, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coletta
authors.affiliation: †Laboratoire de Chimie Physique, UMR 8000 CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, Faculté des Sciences d'Orsay, Bât 349, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Zhenpeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: †Laboratoire de Chimie Physique, UMR 8000 CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, Faculté des Sciences d'Orsay, Bât 349, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Archirel
authors.affiliation: †Laboratoire de Chimie Physique, UMR 8000 CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, Faculté des Sciences d'Orsay, Bât 349, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pernot
authors.affiliation: †Laboratoire de Chimie Physique, UMR 8000 CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, Faculté des Sciences d'Orsay, Bât 349, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Marignier
authors.affiliation: †Laboratoire de Chimie Physique, UMR 8000 CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, Faculté des Sciences d'Orsay, Bât 349, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France.|§Département CASER, Ecole SITI, Conservatoire National des Art et Métiers, CNAM, 75141 Paris Cedex 03, France.
authors.forename: Samy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Remita