Conductive polymeric coatings and methods

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include conductive polymeric coatings and methods of making the same. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method of electrodepositing a conductive polymeric coating onto a substrate surface. The method can include contacting the substrate surface with a solution comprising a monomer, a counterion, and a solvent; exposing the solution to an electrical potential, wherein the surface serves as an electrode in the application of the electrical potential; and alternating the electrical potential between a lower potential and a higher potential to form the conductive polymeric coating on the substrate surface. Other embodiments are also included herein.

1 . A method of electrodepositing a conductive polymeric coating onto a substrate surface comprising:
 contacting the substrate surface with a solution comprising a monomer, a counter ion, and a solvent;   exposing the solution to an electrical potential, wherein the surface serves as an electrode in the application of the electrical potential; and   alternating the electrical potential between a lower potential and a higher potential to form the conductive polymeric coating on the substrate surface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein alternating the electrical potential between a lower potential and a higher potential comprises changing the electrical potential in a step change pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein alternating the electrical potential between a lower potential and a higher potential comprises changing the electrical potential gradually at a particular rate of change. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the rate of change is from about 5 mV/s to about 200 mV/s. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the rate of change is from about 45 mV/s to about 55 mV/s. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lower potential is between −1.5 V and 1.0 V. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lower potential is between −0.5 V and 0.7 V. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the higher potential is between 0.5 V and 3.0 V. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the higher potential is between 0.7 V and 2.0 V. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein alternating the electrical potential comprises alternating the electrical potential between the lower potential and the higher potential from between 10 and 50 times. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , the monomer comprising a monomer that polymerizes to form an electrically conductive polymer. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , the conductive polymeric coating comprising poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , the monomer comprising 3,4-ethylenedioxylthiophene. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , the counter ion comprising a polystyrenesulfonic acid or salt thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , the monomer comprising 3,4-ethylenedioxylthiophene and the counter ion comprising a polystyrenesulfonate salt. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , the solution further comprising an additive. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , the additive comprising sodium dodecyl sulfate. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1 , the substrate surface comprising a metal. 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A device comprising:
 a substrate;   a conductive polymeric coating disposed over the substrate; wherein the conductive polymeric coating exhibits a durability that is greater than an otherwise compositionally identical conductive polymeric coating formed by a potentiostatic or galvanostatic deposition method.   
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 37 , the conductive polymeric coating comprising PEDOT:PSS.