Synthesis, electrical properties, and nanocomposites of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanorods

Cellulose nanofibers or whiskers derived from tunicates were coated with PEDOT:PSS to produce high-aspect-ratio nanorods with high electrical conductivity. Films made from these PEDOT:PSS whiskers have surface resistivities as low as 97 Omega/square. The nanorods were found to disperse well in polar organic solvents such as dimethylformamide, which allowed the fabrication of nanocomposites with inert host polymers such as poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene. These materials display surface resistivities as low as 760 Omega/square. Due to the high aspect ratio of the PEDOT:PSS-coated whiskers (64) and the formation of well-dispersed whisker networks within the polymer matrices, these materials display a percolation threshold as low as similar to 2% v/v. Using a sol-gel process, electrically conducting gels and aerogels with a density of 6.4 mg cm(-3) and a surface resistivity of similar to 200 Omega/square were also produced.