Photopolymerization of conductive polymeric metal nanoparticles

5-Mercapto-2,2′-bithiophene functionalized metal nanoparticles BTSMs [M: copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and gold (Au)] of different diameters (2–8 nm) were synthesized. Conductive polymeric metal nanoparticles were formed from BTSM by UV irradiation. The photopolymerization mechanism was investigated using transient absorption measurements. Intramolecular electron transfer from the ligand to the metal nano-core was confirmed. Nanoparticle size, as well as plasmon electronic interactions, are important factors. The smaller the nanoparticle and the stronger the electronic interactions, the faster the electron transfer is. The three-dimensional structure of the polymerized BTSM was identified using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The conductivity of polymerized BTSM measured in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS) film is higher than that of the nonpolymerized BTSM.