Polythiophenes (PTs) were prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization method in presence and absence of three different (cationic - CTAB, anionic - SDS and non-ionic - Triton X-100) surfactants using FeCl3 as oxidant. The prepared PTs were characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis, XRD, SEM and cyclic voltammetry studies. The FT-IR spectra inferred the polymerization of thiophene and elucidate the corresponding functional groups of PTs. Our results on the UV-Vis spectra demonstrate the n-pi* electronic transition of the conjugated molecules. Further the red shift in the absorption peak confirms the longer conjugation length of PTs. The amorphous nature of the PTs was inferred from the XRD pattern. The PTs prepared with surfactant exhibited different morphology compared to PT prepared without surfactant. The specific capacitances (SC) of the prepared PTs were calculated using cyclic voltammetry technique, the PT prepared with TRITRON X-100 exhibited higher SC of 117 F/g compared to SC of surfactant free PT (78 F/g). Hence, the PTs prepared with surfactants were found to be suitable electrode materials for redox supercapacitors. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.