Formation of Copper Sulfide–Copper Telluride Layers on the Polyamide Film Surface, Using Sodium Telluropentathionate

The layers of copper chalcogenides – mixed copper sulfide–copper telluride, CuxS-CuyTe, were formed on the surface ofsemihydrophilic polymer – polyamide 6 using (0.01 – 0.10) mol/dm3 solution of sodium telluropentathionate,Na2TeS4O6, in 0.2 mol/dm3 HCl as precursor of chalcogens. The concentration of sorbed tellurium and sulfur increasedwith the increase of the duration of treatment and concentration of Na2TeS4O6 solution. The mixed copper sulfidecoppertelluride, CuxS-CuyTe, layers were formed on the surface of polyamide 6 after the treatment of chalcogenizedpolymer with Cu(II/I) salt solution (10 min, 78 °C): the anions TeS4O62– containing tellurium and sulfur atoms of lowoxidation state react with the copper(II/I) ions. The conditions of a polymer initial chalcogenation determine theconcentration of copper and composition of the chalcogenide layer. The concentration of copper in the chalcogenidelayer increases with the increase of initial chalcogenization duration and the concentration of solution. The results ofXRD confirmed the formation of mixed copper sulfide-copper telluride layers on the surface of polyamide 6: fourcopper sulfide phases, digenite, Cu1.8S, djurleite, Cu1.9375S, anilite, Cu7S4, geerite, Cu1,6S, four copper telluride phases –tetragonal Cu3.18Te2, Cu2.72Te2, hexagonal Cu2Te, and orthorhombic vulcanite, CuTe, were identified in the layers. Atroom temperature, electrical sheet resistance of the layers varied from ~ 2.0 kΩ/ to 1.2·103 kΩ/. Variation in theresistance of layers on the surface of PA shows an evident decrease with the increasing of the mass fraction of tellurium.The data determined enable formation of the layers of copper sulfide-copper telluride on the surface of PA of desirableconductivity by the sorption method using the solutions of sodium telluropentathionate as a precursor.