Fabrication and characterization of PEDOT/Au films by chemical vapor polymerization using Au+3 oxidant

Thin composite films of poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/Au were obtained by a vapor-phase polymerization technique using HAuCl4 as an oxidant on the PET film substrate. The PEDOT/Au films were synthesized with metallic gold originating from the redox reaction between 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and Au ions. The formation of the PEDOT/Au film was confirmed by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The reduction to zero-valent gold was confirmed by X-ray spectrometer (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In addition, the enhancement of the thermal stability of the PEDOT/Au film was studied by measuring the change in the conductivity at high temperature. The conductivities of the PEDOT films prepared using FTS and HAuCl4 were 260 and 200 Scm(-1) and their thicknesses were 100 and 120 nm, respectively.