The electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique was adopted to prepare the nanocomposite films on ITO plates. Then photoelectrochemical properties of the PMT/TiO2 nanocomposite were investigated. Results showed the photo-sensitive properties of TiO2 core (n-type semiconductor), PMT shell (p-type semiconductor) and their n-p junction. | Journal of Chemistry, Vol. 45 (5), P. 634 - 637, 2007 PHOTO-SENSITIVE LAYERS FORMED FROM POLYMETHYLTHIOPHENE/TiO2 NANOCOMPOSITES Received 8 November 2006 Vu Quoc Trung1, Thai Doan Tinh1, Tran Vinh Dieu2, Jiri Pfleger3, Waldfried Plieth4 1 Faculty of Chemistry, Hanoi University of Education 2 Centre of Polymer Research, Hanoi University of Technology 3 Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences 4 Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Dresden University, Germany SUMMARY Nanocomposites of polymethylthiophene (PMT) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2) were prepared in core-shell structure, via chemical oxidative polymerization of methylthiophene in the presence of FeCl3 catalyst. The electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique was adopted to prepare the nanocomposite films on ITO plates. Then photoelectrochemical properties of the PMT/TiO2 nanocomposite were investigated. Results showed the photo-sensitive properties of TiO2 core (n-type semiconductor), PMT shell (p-type semiconductor) and their n-p junction. I - INTRODUCTION Inorganic nanoparticles of various nature and size can be combined with organic conducting polymers, giving nanocomposites with interesting physical properties and application potentials [1]. Nanocomposites in core-shell structure based on metal oxide core and conducting polymer shell are rather easy to chemically prepare even in large quantities [1]. However, the studies on the electrochemical properties of these materials are not easy because the preparation of the nanocomposite layers on conductive electrodes is very difficult. Hebestreit et al. managed to prepare the polythiophene (PTh)/TiO2 nanocomposite layers on platinum plates by rubbing form pressed pellets [2]. However, the adhesion of the nanocomposite layers on the electrode was bad so that the photocurrent signal of these layers was small (in order of nA). Recently, the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) was adopted 634 for preparation
