Effects of high frequency ultrasound irradiation on doping level and electroactivity of conducting polymers: Influence of OH• radicals

Chemical effects of ultrasound on conducting polymers were studied, especially the effects of OH
- radicals. In spite of OH
- radicals formation by ultrasound, electroactivity of sonicated films is not degraded. That was explained by the too low concentration of these active species generated in irradiated media. These same radical species are, for the first time, claimed to be at the origin of the increase in doping level which has always been observed for conducting polymer films grown under ultrasound irradiation.