X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic investigation of conducting polymer blends

Electrochemically prepared films of conducting polymers of polypyrrole and polythiophene and their blends with polyamide have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In the N1s region of the spectra of films containing polypyrrole the peak corresponding to N+ at 402.0 eV is separated from that of neutral N. The intensity of the N+ peak can be correlated with the electrical conductivity of the films and the spectroscopically derived ratio of F/N+ is close to 4 indicating that one BF4 - dopant ion is incorporated for every oxidized nitrogen center. In the spectra of films of polythiophene and its blends peaks corresponding to S and S+ can not be resolved but again the F/C ratio correlates with the electrical conductivity. © Springer-Verlag 1996.