Potency of Carrageenan as the doping agent for poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) conductive polymer

Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is a highly electronic material. PEDOT is an insoluble polymer, but it can be an aqueous dispersion in polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) solution as the doping agent. Carrageenans are anionic heteropolysaccharide with ester sulphate groups, which are similar functional group contained in PSS. Carrageenan, one of the potentials natural source of Indonesia, are structured of alternating β-d-galactopyranose and 3,6-anhydrogalactose or α-d-galactopyranose. Carrageenans are possible potential as the alternative doping agent for PEDOT to prepare PEDOT/Carr dispersions due to their similarity on –SO₃- functional group. This study prepared PEDOT/Carr aqueous dispersion in 1:1 ratio by weight as a conductive green polymer. PEDOT/Carr (1:1) dispersion was succesfully synthesized by oxidative polymerisation via in-situ and post-polymerisation reaction. The effect of base solutions or pH is very interesting to investigate on physicochemical of carrageenan doped with PEDOT. Processable conductive PEDOT/Carr dispersion needs to be investigated to optimize the properties of the film.