Modulation of the electrocatalytic performance of PEDOT-PSS by reactive insertion into a sol-gel silica matrix

Abstract

[EN] Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly-(styrenesulfonate), PEDOT¿PSS, films synthesized by electrochemical methods can be considered as poor electrocatalyst for the oxidation of ferrocene in aqueous solution. The rate of electron transfer to that redox probe decays progressively as the amount of deposited polymer increases and the true electroactive area available for the electrochemical reaction shows quite modest figures. We present here an alternative, simple way to enhance the properties of this material which uses, exclusively, electrochemical synthesis methods. The electrocatalytic performance can be significantly improved by inserting the polymer within a pre-deposited, three-dimensional porous silica matrix forming an interpenetrating hybrid material. On the one hand, the modified PEDOT-PSS shows doping levels which trebles the unmodified material. On the other, the electron transfer constant and the true electroactive area for ferrocene oxidation increased by a factor of 2 and 4, respectively.