Synthesis of dioctyl sulfosuccinate‐doped polypyrrole grains by aqueous chemical oxidative polymerization and their use as light‐responsive liquid marble stabilizer

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Polypyrrole grains are synthesized by aqueous chemical oxidative polymerization using ferric chloride as an oxidant in the presence of bis(2‐ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate sodium salt as both a dopant and a hydrophobizing agent. The resulting grain products are characterized in terms of their size, morphology, surface and bulk chemical compositions, hydrophilicity‐hydrophobicity balance, (photo) thermal property, and electrical conductivity. Scanning electron microscopy studies indicate that the grains are aggregates of atypical primary grains with submicrometer size. Elemental microanalysis and thermogravimetric analysis confirm that the polypyrrole is preferably doped with dioctyl sulfosuccinate compared with chloride ion, and dioctyl sulfosuccinate/chloride ion dopant ratio increases with an increase of bis(2‐ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate sodium salt concentration in the polymerization systems. The grains show near‐infrared light‐to‐heat photothermal property, which is confirmed by thermography. The data obtained through X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicate the presence of dioctyl sulfosuccinate dopants on the surface of the grains, and therefore the dried polypyrrole grains show hydrophobic character. The dried grains can work as a light‐responsive liquid marble (LM) stabilizer. Motions of the LM can be driven by near‐infrared laser irradiation‐induced Marangoni flow on planar air‐water surface. The release of internal liquid can be achieved by controlled disruption of the LM via external stimulus application.</jats:p>