Polythiophene (PT), poly(3-chlorothiophene) (PCT), and poly(3-methylthiophene) (PMeT) have been electrochemically deposited on mirrorlike stainless steel (SS) electrode surfaces by direct oxidative polymerization of corresponding monomers in boron trifluoride diethyl etherate (BFEE) solution. The doping levels of as-grown thin films have been determined electrochemically. The results demonstrated that PTs were formed nearly in neutral state initially and their doping levels increased during electrochemical growth processes. Monomer structure and electrolyte have strong effects on the doping levels of PTs with a given thickness. Raman spectroscopic studies also confirmed these findings. Furthermore, it is found that the oxidized species of polythiophene and poly(3-chlorothiophene) are mainly presented in radical cations, while dications are favored to be formed in poly(3-methylthiophene) with a doping level higher than ca. 5%.

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Templated synthesis of polythiophene micro‐ and nanotubules using an alumina membrane is described here. Flexible polythiophene tubules up to 60 μm in length and aligned tubule/gold bilayer films (see Figure) with an area as large as 1.8 cm2 can be obtained. These bilayer films show broad, strong redox responses with a capacitance 30 times that of a normal polythiophene film.

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Aligned microtubular heterojunctions of poly(p-phenylene) (PPP) and polythiophene (PTh) were fabricated by successive electrochemical oxidations of benzene and thiophene in freshly distilled boron trifluoride-diethyl ether (BFEE) solution and using a microporous alumina membrane with pores of 200 nm diameter as the template. The morphology and chain structure of the microtubular heterojunctions were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopies and Raman spectroscopy. The current (I)-voltage (V) curves revealed that the aligned microtubular heterojunctions had a better rectification effect than that of the normal PPP/PTh bilayer heterojunction.