Eumelanin Precursor 2-Carboxy-5,6-Dihydroxyindole (DHICA) as Doping Factor in Ternary (PEDOT:PSS/Eumelanin) Thin Films for Conductivity Enhancement

• Main Authors: Ludovico Migliaccio, Felice Gesuele, Paola Manini, Maria Grazia Maglione, Paolo Tassini, Alessandro Pezzella
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: Materials
• Subjects: PEDOT:PSS; eumelanin; melanin; conducting polymer; bioinspired materials
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/13/9/2108
• ISSN: 1996-1944

The integration of the pristine not-doped commercial poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) PH1000 with eumelanin, the brown to black kind of melanin pigment, was achieved by dissolving the melanogenic precursors 2-carboxy-5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHICA) in the PH1000 suspension. Solid state oxidative polymerization of the catecholic indole allowed obtaining the ternary blend PEDOT:PSS/eumelanin. The introduction of DHICA into PH1000 produced a noticeable increase in the conductivity of PEDOT thin films akin to that produced by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) treatment, opening up novel strategies for the simultaneous integration of eumelanin polymer and conductivity enhancement of PEDOT containing coatings, as well as the long term goal of replacing PSS by DHICA eumelanin for PEDOT pairing.