Abstract

Three-dimensional highly ordered macroporous conducting polymer films were prepared using a self-assembled colloidal template based on poly(styrene) latex spheres. Poly(pyrrole), poly(aniline) and poly(bithiophene) were polymerised electrochemically and the polymer grown through the interstitial spaces between poly(styrene) latex spheres (0.5 µm or 0.75 µm in diameter) self-assembled in a close-packed array on gold substrates. The latex sphere template was subsequently removed by dissolution in toluene. Regular pore sizes and interconnected channels within the conducting polymer films were evident from scanning electron microscopy studies. The pore sizes for the conducting polymers studied were related to the dimensions of poly(styrene) spheres used as the template. Evidence for shrinkage of the structure was found for some polymers studied.