Microstructured conducting polymer coatings on plastic strip for contact electrodes: Formulation and tuning of sheet resistance

Mechanically strong and flexible strips of cellulose acetate were used to support a thin coating of poly(3,4 ethylenedioxythiophene) : poly(styrene sulfonic acid) PEDOT : PSS, an intrinsically conducting polymer (ICP), formulated with an aqueous dispersion of judiciously chosen copolymer of vinyl acetate and ethylene (VAE), to impart adhesion of the coating onto the substrate. Incorporation of a few drops of an organic acid to the formulation resulted in a substantial reduction of the sheet resistance of the coated surface. When the coated strips were post-treated with a salt solution, a fur ther fine tuning of the sheet resistance by a factor of 10 was achieved. The coated strips combine high conductivity with flexibility and mechanical strength. The performance of the coated strips has been evaluated in relationship to composition, coating thickness, and sheet resistance for application as contact electrodes. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.