Bacterial cellulose–poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)–poly(styrenesulfonate) composites for optoelectronic applications

Electrically conducting bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes were prepared by ex situ incorporation of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)–poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) into BC pellicles. The BC pellicles were immersed into an aqueous solution of PEDOT:PSS for 6, 12, 18, or 24 h, and the resultant composites were vacuum dried at ambient temperature. The structural features of the composites were determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). XPS confirmed synthesis of the composites, and SEM showed uniform incorporation of PEDOT:PSS into the BC matrix. The FTIR spectra of the composites exhibited characteristic bands for both BC and PEDOT:PSS, and XRD analysis showed a slight decrease in crystallinity during composite preparation. The electrical conductivity of the composites was 12.17 S/cm for incorporation of 31.24 wt% PEDOT:PSS into the BC matrix. These highly conducting BC–PEDOT:PSS composites are expected to find potential applications in optoelectronic devices such as biosensors, organic light-emitting diodes, and solar cells.