Templating Effect of Water-Soluble Anionic Phthalocyaninate on the Electropolymerization of 3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene

The electrochemical polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) was performed in the presence of a water-soluble anionic copper and zinc octa(3′,5′-dicarboxyphenoxy)phthalocyaninate containing 16 ionogenic carboxylate groups. The influences of the central metal atom in the phthalocyaninate and EDOT-to-carboxylate group ratio (1:2, 1:4, and 1:6) on the course of electropolymerization were studied using electrochemical methods. It has been shown that the polymerization of EDOT in the presence of phthalocyaninates proceeds at a higher rate compared to that in the presence of a low-molecular-weight electrolyte (sodium acetate). Studies of the electronic and chemical structure using UV–Vis–NIR and Raman spectroscopies showed that the use of copper phthalocyaninate leads to a higher content of the latter in PEDOT composite films. The 1:2 EDOT-to-carboxylate group ratio was found to be optimal for a higher content of phthalocyaninate in the composite film.