Self-Doped Conducting Core–Shell Poly(styrene/pyrrole) Nanoparticles via Two-Stage Shot-Growth

Abstract

Self-doped conducting core-shell poly(styrene/pyrrole) (poly(St/Py)) nanoparticles were successfully prepared by a one-pot synthetic route in both Fe(3+)-catalyzed oxidative polymerization and emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization. Modified two-stage shot-growth method was introduced to obtain higher doping level of the self-doped conducting core-shell poly(St/Py) nanoparticles. The particle size and core-shell morphology of the resulting particles before and after two-stage shot-growth were investigated by SEM and TEM analyses. Surface charge density of the particles highly increased after two-stage shot-growth and was measured by zeta-potential analysis. The self-doped core-shell nanoparticles showed a high conductivity after two-stage shot-growth.