Functional carbon nanoparticles modified poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanocomposites with enhanced dielectric and antibacterial properties

Abstract

The importance of nanocomposites with tailored properties is growing due to their applications in various fields. In the present study, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and functionalized carbon nanoparticles (f-CNPs) are synthesized by in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization and pyrolysis methods, respectively. The f-CNPs-PEDOT nanocomposites are prepared by varying the concentration of PEDOT (i.e., 1, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 wt%), and the thermal stability, dielectric properties and antibacterial activities of f-CNPs-PEDOT nanocomposites were evaluated. The dielectric studies indicated that the addition of PEDOT has enhanced the dielectric properties due to interfacial polarization effect, whereas decreased the thermal stability due to degradation of PEDOT in the nanocomposite, however, it is higher than the pure PEDOT. The antimicrobial potential of synthesized f-CNPs-PEDOT nanocomposites was studied against two different bacterial strains, namely Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli. The findings of this research have potential to open new opportunities for employing f-CNPs-PEDOT nanocomposites in physical sciences and antimicrobial applications.