Vesicle-Templating PEDOT Hollow Microspheres and Their Electrocatalytic Activity towards Ascorbic Acid

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) hollow microspheres ranging from 50 nm to 950 nm were synthesized by chemically oxidative polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) using ammonium persulfate (APS) as catalyst in the aqueous solution of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfate (SDBS). Vesicles formed by CTAB and SDBS served as templates for the formation of PEDOT hollow microspheres. The obtained PEDOT hollow microspheres were characterized by Fourier Transformation Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy(XPS) and conductivity measurement. The electro-catalytic activity of PEDOT hollow microspheres for the oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and compared to the activity of granular PEDOT particles. Results showed that the PEDOT hollow microspheres had a more effective electrocatalytic activity in lowering the AA oxidation potential than PEDOT granular particles.