(200j) Electrically Conductive Films Made of Polythiophene and Fibrillated Wood Particles

The objective of this study was to investigate the formation and properties of composite films made of fibrillated wood microfibers deposited with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). Hardwood particles were reduced in size and fibrillated using an ultra-fine friction grinder following an alkaline pretreatment step. Oxidative polymerization was performed on 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) monomer in the presence of PSS and microfibers. The formation of PEDOT:PSS and its interaction with wood microfibers were verified through scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy of the resulted films. The composite films were found to exhibit a range of tensile properties and electrical resistivity depending on the ratio between EDOT monomer and microfibers in the formulation. An EDOT:microfibers ratio of 33 wt.% resulted in films having the best combination of sheet resistivity (340 Ω/sq.) and tensile strength (38 MPa). The selected films were also tested for solvent resistance and thermal stability to enable considerations of their use in different environments. Overall, this study showed that low-cost wood particles after simple treatments could be used as a green and environmentally friendly reinforcing material for PEDOT:PSS.