Composite Films Based on Carbon Quantum Dots in a Matrix of PEDOT:PSS Conductive Polymer

• Published in: Physics of the solid state 2021-08, Vol.63 (8), p.1276-1282
• Main Authors: Nenashev, G. V., Istomina, M. S., Shcherbakov, I. P., Shvidchenko, A. V., Petrov, V. N., Aleshin, A. N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activation energy; Composite materials; Conducting polymers; Current carriers; Electric properties; Electrical properties; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Polymer industry; Quantum dots; Solid State Physics
• ISSN: 1063-7834; 1090-6460
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063783421080229

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), as well as their composites with the PEDOT:PSS conductive polymer, are hydrothermally synthesized from glucose, and their electrical properties are investigated in the temperature range of 77–280 K. It is shown that the CQDs and PEDOT:PSS–CQDs films have a globular structure with globule sizes of ~50 nm. The dependences of the resistivity on temperature, ρ( T ), are obtained for CQDs, PEDOT:PSS–CQDs, and PEDOT:PSS films, which have a weak activation character. It is found that the ρ values of the CQDs films are several orders of magnitude higher than the ρ values of PEDOT:PSS films. It is shown that with an increase in the CQDs content in the PEDOT:PSS–CQDs composites, the ρ( T ) dependences exhibit a transition from high activation energies (∼17–18 meV) characteristic of pure PEDOT:PSS to lower values (∼10 meV) observed in CQDs films. The mechanism of transport of charge carriers in the investigated materials is considered.