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Electrochemical synthesis and characterization of poly(3-hexylthiophene)/single-walled carbon nanotube array hybrid materials

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Abstract

In this study, we demonstrate that by directly employing single-walled carbon nanotube arrays (SWCNT-arrays)—grown on conductive substrates—as working electrodes, selective and uniform electrodeposition of a conducting polymer, namely poly(3-hexylthiophene), can be achieved on the surface of the nanotubes. The overall kinetic pattern of the electrodeposition was studied by separating the deposition charge from the one related to the redox transformation of the polymer film deposited during the precedent cycles. Both the structure and the electrochemical properties of the hybrid materials were studied as a function of the electrodeposition cycles, thus the amount of the formed polymer. The hybrids were characterized by electron microscopic (SEM, TEM) and vibrational spectroscopic (Raman spectroscopy) means. The obtained results were compared and contrasted with those gathered on macroscopic-sized multi-walled carbon nanotube array-based composites in our group recently. Overall, we conclude that electrochemical polymerization is an attractive tool to synthesize conducting polymer/SWCNT hybrid materials with controlled composition and morphology.

Highy organized nanostructures of conduction polymer/SWCNT array hybrids were obtained via electrodeposition

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Acknowledgments

Part of this work was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Japan Society of Promotion Science (JSPS) Research Fellows. MA. Azam is also grateful to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysia, for financial support under the eScienceFund research grant scheme.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla Sq. 1, H-6720, Szeged, Hungary

    Balázs Endrődi, Gergely F. Samu, Csaba Janáky & Csaba Visy

  2. MTA-SZTE “Lendület” Photoelectrochemistry Research Group, Rerrich Béla Sq. 1, H-6720, Szeged, Hungary

    Balázs Endrődi, Gergely F. Samu & Csaba Janáky

  3. Carbon Research Technology Research Group, Faculty of Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100, Durian Tunggal, Malaysia

    Mohd Asyadi Azam

Authors
  1. Balázs Endrődi
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  2. Gergely F. Samu
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  3. Mohd Asyadi Azam
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  4. Csaba Janáky
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  5. Csaba Visy
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Csaba Janáky or Csaba Visy.

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Endrődi, B., Samu, G.F., Azam, M.A. et al. Electrochemical synthesis and characterization of poly(3-hexylthiophene)/single-walled carbon nanotube array hybrid materials. J Solid State Electrochem 20, 3179–3187 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-016-3290-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-016-3290-8

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