Electropolymerization of a Conjugated Polymer on Top of a Different Conjugated Polymer for Yarn Actuators

Abstract

Electropolymerization of conjugated polymers is usually performed on highly conductive metallic electrodes. However, for applications such as textile actuators this is not possible. There, the electropolymerization is performed on a different, previously deposited conjugated polymer. This resulted on some new electrochemical phenomena not present when the electropolymerization is done on a metallic substrate. Processes as the oxidation and overoxidation of the underlying conjugated polymer need to be taken into account. In this work we have investigated the best conditions for electropolymerization of polypyrrole on top of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) coated textile yarns, when the electropolymerization was performed by either cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry or chronopotentiometry in order to achieve the best electroactive and actuating conjugated polymer.