In this frame, bipolar electrochemistry (BE) is presented as an interesting alternative for the localized modification of conductive objects. However, low-cost and straightforward methods for the localized patterning of conductive substrates are highly desired. Different fabrication techniques are typically used in this context, such as inject-printing, photothermic patterning, 3D printing and imprinting, as well as electron-beam or UV lithography, producing, e.g., well-defined conductivity patterns on polypyrrole and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/polystyrene sulfonate substrates. In particular, due to the possible fine-tuning of their conductivity, these polymers have emerged as an alternative for the design of localized electroactive patterns for microelectronics. The use of such π-conjugated materials enables different interesting applications, ranging from sensing and energy storage to environmental remediation and bioelectronics. These are based on the reversible transition between insulating and conducting states, triggered by a chemical or electrochemical reaction, which cause changes of the doping state of the polymer. This approach presents as main advantages the wireless nature of bipolar electrochemistry and the possible fine-tuning of the spatial distribution of the electrochemical modification, in comparison with more conventional patterning methods.Ĭonducting polymers are materials that have gained considerable attention due to their outstanding mechanical, optical, and electric properties. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis of the samples confirms the localized physicochemical modifications. Due to the outstanding flexibility of polypyrrole, U-, S-, and E-shaped bipolar electrodes can be formed for prove-of-concept experiments, and electrochemically modified in order to generate well-defined resistance gradients. The physicochemical modification is caused by the reduction and overoxidation of polypyrrole, which produces highly resistive regions at different positions along the conducting substrate at predefined locations. In this work, the authors take advantage of the properties of polypyrrole, in synergy with a wireless polarization, triggered by bipolar electrochemistry, to produce localized resistance gradient patterns. Conducting polymers have gained considerable attention for the possible design of localized electroactive patterns for microelectronics.
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