Hydrophobic conducting polymer films from post deposition thiol exposure

Polypyrrole and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) films react with a fluorinated thiol in either the gas phase or in solution. In contrast to the conducting polymer-initiated oxidation of thiols to disulfides, this reaction covalently links the sulfur to the polymer backbone, irreversibly decreasing the electroactivity of the polymer and dramatically changing the surface energy of the films. The reaction results in a modest decrease in the adsorption of proteins and cells to the film surfaces.

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► Fluorinated alkyl thiols react with conducting polymer films to form hydrophobic surfaces.
► Thiol terminated polyethylene glycols make conducting polymer films resistant to protein deposition.
► Thiols react with films in solution and as vapors without increasing film roughness.
► The thiol-film bond is stable to extraction, heating and electrochemical cycling in water.