Conjugated Polymers and Gold Nanostructures in the Design of Electrochromic/Electrochemical Sensors

Abstract

Electrochromic/electrochemical sensors based on conducting polymers offer multi-mode registration of analytical signal based on combination of electrochemical and optical techniques. Application of metallic nanoparticles in conducting polymers films can be a way to improve desired properties of the materials. For this purpose gold nanostructures (AuNS) were electrochemically deposited onto transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode. Conducting polymers polyaniline and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxithiophene) films were electrodeposited on clean and pre-modified with AuNS ITO electrode. The effect of incorporated AuNS on polymer film morphology and electrochromic/optical properties at different pH was evaluated and compared.