Morphological and Electrical Properties of Polythiophene Nanostructured Film Synthesized Using Atmospheric Pressure-Plasma Reactor with Double V-Shaped Bare Electrode

Abstract

To synthesize a wide-area conducting polymer with improved morphology and electrical properties, we proposed a new atmospheric pressure (AP) plasma reactor with double V-shaped bare wire electrode operating at a low driven voltage to expand the plasma area for nanostructure synthesis. The two wires form a V-shape making a 60° angle at the edges and are joined together forming a cross, creating a canopy-like plasma medium in the plasma reactor center. Using the AP-plasma reactor, the polythiophene (PTh) nanostructured films are successfully synthesized with and without iodine doping. Moreover, the molecular structures and chemical properties of nascent and iodine-doped PTh films are compared, and the electrical resistivities of ex situ and in situ iodine-doped PTh nanostructures are also analyzed.