Patterned PPy Polymer and PPy/Ag Nanocomposites Thin Films by Photo-DLICVD

This work deals with the deposition of both undoped (insulator) and extrinsically Ag-doped (conductive) polypyrrole (PPy) coatings by an original Photo-DLICVD process. The uniform and conformal coverage of PPy thin films on both Si(100) wafer and liquid micro-droplets forming blisters is investigated. A self-ordered surface patterning of the blisters is achieved and discussed in relation with the substrate nature. By changing the precursor chemistry in this CVD process, conductive PPy/Ag nanocomposite films are grown. First evidence for conductive behavior of these Ag-doped PPy coatings was found. The Ag nanoparticles (NPs) reveal 1D assembly at the ledges of crystal-like facets of micron size nanocomposite particles leading to more complex arrangements of the metal NPs in the hybrid PPy/Ag coatings.