Synthesis of highly conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) fiber by simple chemical polymerization

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) fiber was chemically synthesized by the polymerization of 2,5-dihalo-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene in the presence of BF3 without a template. The resulting conductive PEDOT fiber exhibited conductivity in the range of 150–250 S/cm (pressed powder pellet). The thermal stability of PEDOT was also improved and UV-spectroscopy analysis of a film exhibited a strong absorption band at 460 nm. The well-defined needle-shaped fibers of PEDOT were examined by SEM, and the average length and diameter of the fibers were 10 and 0.4 μm, respectively.