Starter Kit for Electrochemical Sensors Based on Polythiophene Thin Films—Synthesis of High-Quality Films and Protocol for Fast and Gentle Electrode Regeneration †

Abstract

Due to their unique properties, polythiophene and other conductive polymers have become the subject of intensive research and are promising substrate materials for innovative and trendsetting applications. To this day, boron trifluoride diethyl etherate (BFEE) is the preferred solvent for the electropolymerization of thiophene, although it does not allow for reproducible film qualities due to its decomposition under ambient conditions. We therefore want to equip the reader with a starter kit for the electropolymerization of high-quality polythiophene films from stable solvents and a simple yet efficient method to remove the deposited films from the electrodes for their reuse. By drying the working solution prior to its utilization, and by adding a Lewis acid catalyst, films that display enhanced electron transfer and a smooth surface topography can be obtained, which can both be beneficial for the analytic performance of a subsequently built biosensor.