Abdelhamid Errachid et al 2007 Nanotechnology 18 485301 doi:10.1088/0957-4484/18/48/485301
Abdelhamid Errachid1,2, David Caballero1,2, Eulalia Crespo3, François Bessueille1,2,4, Mateu Pla-Roca1,2,5, Christopher A Mills1, Francesc Teixidor3 and Josep Samitier1,2
Show affiliationsCobaltabisdicarbollide-doped polypyrrole (PPy-[Co(C2B9H11)2]) nanostructures have been produced by directed, potentiostatic electropolymerization using a patterned combination of conducting and insulating thiols (4-aminothiophenol and octadecylmercaptan, respectively). The different conducting characters of both self-assembled monolayers guides the PPy-[Co(C2B9H11)2] deposition over the pattern. In this way we have produced doped, nanostructured annular polypyrrole rings, ~400 nm high and ~200 nm wide at full width-half maximum height. Two processes are thought to affect the polypyrrole growth; primarily, the different conducting characters of the self-assembled thiol monolayers, but also the hydrophobic interactions between the electrolyte and the self-assembled monolayer. The effects of the hydrophobicity of the doping anion were also studied by comparing the microstructures obtained for polypyrrole doped with the lipophilic [Co(C2B9H11)2]− anion and those doped with hydrophilic Cl− and ClO4− anions.
81.07.-b Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization
Soft matter, liquids and polymers
Issue 48 (5 December 2007)
Received 8 August 2007, in final form 31 August 2007
Published 30 October 2007
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