High-aspect-ratio conducting polymer microtube synthesis by light-activated electropolymerization on microstructured silicon

• Conducting polymer microtubes are produced by light-activated electrosynthesis.
• High-aspect-ratio CP microtubes with micrometric size and period are fabricated.
• Light-activated electrosynthesis on microstructured silicon templates is performed.
• Electrochemical characterization shows the full microtube surface is electroactive.
• Silicon template removal is not needed for CP microtube electrochemical uses.

Synthesis of conducting polymer (CP) microtubes with characteristic size and period of a few micrometers, height from 5 to 50 micrometers, and aspect-ratio from 1 to 10, is demonstrated by light-activated electropolymerization on microstructured silicon for poly(3,4-ethylendioxythiophene), poly(3-methylthiophene) and polythiophene. Electrochemical characterization by cyclic voltammetry demonstrates that the entire surface of microstructured CPs is electroactive and can be effectively exploited in electrochemical processes without detaching CP films from the silicon substrate, thus directly and easily taking advantage of the increased polymer surface area. Such a successful merging of CP and silicon microstructuring technologies would break new grounds in different analytical/technological fields connected to microstructured CPs.