Rapid Voltammetric Measurements at Conducting Polymer Microelectrodes Using Ultralow-Capacitance Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):Tosylate

We use a vapor-phase synthesis to generate conducting polymer films with low apparent capacitance and high conductance enabling rapid electrochemical measurements. Specifically, oxidative chemical vapor deposition was used to create thin films of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):tosylate (PEDOT:tosylate).

These films had a conductance of 17.1 ± 1.7 S/cm. Furthermore, they had an apparent capacitance of 197 ± 14 μF/cm2, which is an order of magnitude lower than current commercially available and previously reported PEDOT. Using a multistage photolithography process, these films were patterned into PEDOT:tosylate microelectrodes and were used to perform fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) measurements.

Using a scan rate of 100 V/s, we measured ferrocene carboxylic acid and dopamine by FSCV. In contrast to carbon-fiber microelectrodes, the reduction peak showed higher sensitivity when compared to the oxidation peak. The adsorption characteristics of dopamine at the polymer electrode were fit to a Langmuir isotherm. The low apparent capacitance and the microlithographic processes for electrode design make PEDOT:tosylate an attractive material for future applications as an implantable biosensor for FSCV measurements.

Additionally, the integration of PEDOT:tosylate electrodes on plastic substrates enables new electrochemical measurements at this polymer using FSCV.