A water-mediated approach for the preparation of conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-decorated poly(methyl methacrylate) microcomposites

Abstract

The water-mediated synthesis of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) on the surface of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microspheres leads to the formation of segregated electrically conductive composites. This work demonstrates the successful combination of environmentally benign acoustic emulsification, surfactant-free emulsion polymerization, and in situ oxidative polymerization. Acoustic emulsification creates 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) monomers with an anionic surface and surfactant-free emulsion polymerization generates cationic spherical PMMA latex particles. Then, the in situ oxidative polymerization of the EDOT emulsion generates PEDOT-decorated PMMA microspheres. The composite shows synergic properties from PEDOT and PMMA, with good electrical, thermal, and morphological properties. The electrical conductivity of the composite was increased ∼10⁹-fold compared with the PMMA matrix. The electrical conductivity of the PMMA–PEDOT composite reaches 0.30 S m⁻¹ when the PEDOT loading is 10.20 wt%. Additionally, it provides a ∼10⁵-fold increase in electrical conductivity compared to samples prepared without the acoustic emulsification of EDOT. This method provides new planning strategies for the integration of various conducting polymers into insulating polymers.