Influence of sulfonation degree and deposition technique on the electrical and morphological properties of sulfonated polystyrene thin films
Abstract
In this work, sulfonated polystyrene thin films with different sulfonation degrees (3% and 6%) were prepared using Langmuir–Schaefer (LS) and drop‐casting deposition techniques to investigate the influence of chemical functionalization and film fabrication method on their morphological and electrical properties. The Langmuir films were characterized through surface pressure–area isotherms, revealing that increasing sulfonation affects the interfacial organization and molecular packing of the polymer chains. The deposited thin films were further analyzed regarding their surface morphology, conductivity and dynamic electrical response under ammonia exposure. The results demonstrate that both the sulfonation degree and deposition technique strongly influence charge transport behavior and ionic conduction pathways within the films. LS films exhibited higher molecular organization and improved baseline conductivity, whereas drop‐cast films presented more heterogeneous morphologies, favoring larger current modulation and enhanced electrical stability under chemical exposure. In addition, higher sulfonation levels promoted greater ionic interaction and more reproducible electrical responses, particularly for the drop‐cast films. These findings provide important insights into the relationship between processing, molecular organization and electrical properties in sulfonated polymer thin films, highlighting their potential for electrically responsive and chemically interactive thin‐film applications.
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BibTeX
@article{medina2026influence,
title = {{Influence of sulfonation degree and deposition technique on the electrical and morphological properties of sulfonated polystyrene thin films}},
author = {Maria Eduarda Rs Medina and Jéssyka C Bittencourt and Vinicius Jro Patzer and Marcelo S Borro and Antônio Jf de Carvalho and Debora T Balogh and Roger C Hiorns and Deuber Ls Agostini and Clarissa A Olivati},
journal = {Polymer international},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1002/pi.70186},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05844678v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Influence of sulfonation degree and deposition technique on the electrical and morphological properties of sulfonated polystyrene thin films
AU - Maria Eduarda Rs Medina
AU - Jéssyka C Bittencourt
AU - Vinicius Jro Patzer
AU - Marcelo S Borro
AU - Antônio Jf de Carvalho
AU - Debora T Balogh
AU - Roger C Hiorns
AU - Deuber Ls Agostini
AU - Clarissa A Olivati
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/12
JO - Polymer international
DO - 10.1002/pi.70186
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05844678v1
AB - In this work, sulfonated polystyrene thin films with different sulfonation degrees (3% and 6%) were prepared using Langmuir–Schaefer (LS) and drop‐casting deposition techniques to investigate the influence of chemical functionalization and film fabrication method on their morphological and electrical properties. The Langmuir films were characterized through surface pressure–area isotherms, revealing that increasing sulfonation affects the interfacial organization and molecular packing of the polymer chains. The deposited thin films were further analyzed regarding their surface morphology, conductivity and dynamic electrical response under ammonia exposure. The results demonstrate that both the sulfonation degree and deposition technique strongly influence charge transport behavior and ionic conduction pathways within the films. LS films exhibited higher molecular organization and improved baseline conductivity, whereas drop‐cast films presented more heterogeneous morphologies, favoring larger current modulation and enhanced electrical stability under chemical exposure. In addition, higher sulfonation levels promoted greater ionic interaction and more reproducible electrical responses, particularly for the drop‐cast films. These findings provide important insights into the relationship between processing, molecular organization and electrical properties in sulfonated polymer thin films, highlighting their potential for electrically responsive and chemically interactive thin‐film applications.
SN - 0959-8103
SN - 1097-0126
ER -