A fast and facile synthetic route toward the preparation of nanoparticles of polythiophene and its derivatives

A novel photochemical water-based approach for the preparation of nanoparticles of polymerized thiophene (Th), thiophene methanol (ThM), or their mixtures (Th-co/or-ThM) was developed. The influence of 3-[(2-acryloyloxy)methyl] thiophene (ATh) as cross-link agent on the stability of the nanoparticles and on their performances was investigated. The occurrence of a polymerization process was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), UV and fluorescence emission spectroscopies. Nanoparticles with very narrow size distribution (0.0092–0.105 ATh cross-linked, 0.0635–0.272 uncross-linked) and ideal spherical shape (radius 35–47 nm ATh cross-linked, 49–109 nm uncross-linked) were obtained whatever the reaction composition. The size of the particles was found to depend strongly on the level of ATh-stabilization and to diminish upon increase of the ATh content. In contrast, in the same order, their thermal stability shifted toward higher temperatures. Thermal decomposition of the nanoparticles led to formation of carbon-nanoobjects, as observed by transmission electron microscopy, FT-IR, and RAMAN spectroscopies. The re-dispersibility of the dry Th-co/or-ThM nanoparticles in some conventional monomers and solvents has been estimated.