This work aimed to produce poly(acrylonitrile-co-itaconic acid) (P(AN-co-IA)) nanocomposites with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and poly(3-methoxythiophene) (PMOT). An anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzenesulphonate was used in emulsion polymerization for nanocomposite production. Incorporations of PEDOT and PMOT on the nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy, Fourier transforminfrared-attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy and ultra-violet spectroscopy. These nanoparticles were blended withPAN and the blends were electrospun to produce P(AN-co-IA)–polythiophene-derivative-based nanofibres, and the obtainednanofibres were characterized by SEM and energy dispersive spectroscopy. In addition, electrochemical impedance studiesconducted on nanofibres showed that PEDOT and PMOT in matrix polymer P(AN-co-IA) exhibited capacitive behaviourcomparable to that of ITO–PET. Their capacitive behaviour changed with the amount of electroactive polymer.

In this study, we demonstrate the effect of dielectric constant of solvents on the electrochemical coating of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and copolymer of 1-(p-tolylsulphonyl) pyrrole (pTSP) with 3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene(EDOT) as electroactive thin film on single carbon fibre microelectrodes in different dielectric constant media. The highest specific and double layer capacitance value was obtained with homopolymer (C$_{sp}$ = 417 mF cm$^{-2}$, C$_{dl}$ = 140 mF cm$^{-2}$) and copolymer (C$_{sp}$ = 218 mF cm$^{-2}$, C$_{dl}$ = 67 mF cm$^{-2}$) synthesized in dielectric constant of 64.9. As the dielectric constant decreased, both polymer and copolymer capacitance values were decreased. PEDOT has preserved more capacitive behaviour especially at lower frequency than poly(EDOT-co-pTSP). The effect of dielectric constant of solvent on the polymerization was examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV), equivalent circuit modelling (ECM) technique and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The surface properties of homopolymer and copolymer were inspected by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) point analysis.

The surface properties of polyacrylonitrile-based (PAN-based) carbon fibres (CFs) mainly control the interfacial strength of CF-reinforced polymer composites. These composites were generally made by commercial high strength fibres with a commercial oxidative treatment. The structure of the interface depends on the nature of the surface treatment. An efficient method to obtain better interfacial surface properties of CF for further functionalization is proposed as electropolymerizing with epoxy-conductive polymer-based composites on the CF surface. In this study, the surface is electrochemically functionalized with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and epoxy, and they have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared–attenuated total reflectance spectrophotometer, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Morphologies were examined by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscope, and elemental analysis was performed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and their electrochemical properties compared with commercial CFs. Electrochemically coated CFs have increased capacitative property and surface roughness.