Thin Functional Polymer Films by Electropolymerization
Intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) have been widely utilized in organic electronics, actuators, electrochromic devices, and sensors. Many potential applications demand the formation of thin polymer films, which can be generated by electrochemical polymerization. Electrochemical methods are qui...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/9/8/1125 |
| _version_ | 1818441179497234432 |
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| author | Alex Palma-Cando Ibeth Rendón-Enríquez Michael Tausch Ullrich Scherf |
| author_facet | Alex Palma-Cando Ibeth Rendón-Enríquez Michael Tausch Ullrich Scherf |
| author_sort | Alex Palma-Cando |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) have been widely utilized in organic electronics, actuators, electrochromic devices, and sensors. Many potential applications demand the formation of thin polymer films, which can be generated by electrochemical polymerization. Electrochemical methods are quite powerful and versatile and can be utilized for investigation of ICPs, both for educational purposes and materials chemistry research. In this study, we show that potentiodynamic and potentiostatic techniques can be utilized for generating and characterizing thin polymer films under the context of educational chemistry research and state-of-the-art polymer research. First, two well-known bifunctional monomers (with only two linking sites)—aniline and bithiophene—and their respective ICPs—polyaniline (PANI) and polybithiophene (PBTh)—were electrochemically generated and characterized. Tests with simple electrochromic devices based on PANI and PBTh were carried out at different doping levels, where changes in the UV-VIS absorption spectra and color were ascribed to changes in the polymer structures. These experiments may attract students’ interest in the electrochemical polymerization of ICPs as doping/dedoping processes can be easily understood from observable color changes to the naked eye, as shown for the two polymers. Second, two new carbazole-based multifunctional monomers (with three or more linking sites)—tris(4-(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)silanol (TPTCzSiOH) and tris(3,5-di(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)silanol (TPHxCzSiOH)—were synthesized to produce thin films of cross-linked polymer networks by electropolymerization. These thin polymer films were characterized by electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) experiments and nitrogen sorption, and the results showed a microporous nature with high specific surface areas up to 930 m<sup>2</sup>g<sup>−1</sup>. PTPHxCzSiOH-modified glassy carbon electrodes showed an enhanced electrochemical response to nitrobenzene as prototypical nitroaromatic compound compared to unmodified glassy carbon electrodes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T18:24:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f4aac5e4ce4d4696aa9fccc9fa53ab31 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T18:24:08Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-f4aac5e4ce4d4696aa9fccc9fa53ab312022-12-21T22:51:59ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912019-08-0198112510.3390/nano9081125nano9081125Thin Functional Polymer Films by ElectropolymerizationAlex Palma-Cando0Ibeth Rendón-Enríquez1Michael Tausch2Ullrich Scherf3School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Universidad Yachay Tech, EC100115 Urcuqui, EcuadorDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Education, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Gaußstraße 20, D-42119 Wuppertal, GermanyDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Education, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Gaußstraße 20, D-42119 Wuppertal, GermanyMacromolecular Chemistry Group, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Gaußstraße 20, D-42119 Wuppertal, GermanyIntrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) have been widely utilized in organic electronics, actuators, electrochromic devices, and sensors. Many potential applications demand the formation of thin polymer films, which can be generated by electrochemical polymerization. Electrochemical methods are quite powerful and versatile and can be utilized for investigation of ICPs, both for educational purposes and materials chemistry research. In this study, we show that potentiodynamic and potentiostatic techniques can be utilized for generating and characterizing thin polymer films under the context of educational chemistry research and state-of-the-art polymer research. First, two well-known bifunctional monomers (with only two linking sites)—aniline and bithiophene—and their respective ICPs—polyaniline (PANI) and polybithiophene (PBTh)—were electrochemically generated and characterized. Tests with simple electrochromic devices based on PANI and PBTh were carried out at different doping levels, where changes in the UV-VIS absorption spectra and color were ascribed to changes in the polymer structures. These experiments may attract students’ interest in the electrochemical polymerization of ICPs as doping/dedoping processes can be easily understood from observable color changes to the naked eye, as shown for the two polymers. Second, two new carbazole-based multifunctional monomers (with three or more linking sites)—tris(4-(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)silanol (TPTCzSiOH) and tris(3,5-di(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)silanol (TPHxCzSiOH)—were synthesized to produce thin films of cross-linked polymer networks by electropolymerization. These thin polymer films were characterized by electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) experiments and nitrogen sorption, and the results showed a microporous nature with high specific surface areas up to 930 m<sup>2</sup>g<sup>−1</sup>. PTPHxCzSiOH-modified glassy carbon electrodes showed an enhanced electrochemical response to nitrobenzene as prototypical nitroaromatic compound compared to unmodified glassy carbon electrodes.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/9/8/1125electropolymerizationthin filmselectrochromic devicesmicroporositypolymer networksnitrobenzene detection |
| spellingShingle | Alex Palma-Cando Ibeth Rendón-Enríquez Michael Tausch Ullrich Scherf Thin Functional Polymer Films by Electropolymerization Nanomaterials electropolymerization thin films electrochromic devices microporosity polymer networks nitrobenzene detection |
| title | Thin Functional Polymer Films by Electropolymerization |
| title_full | Thin Functional Polymer Films by Electropolymerization |
| title_fullStr | Thin Functional Polymer Films by Electropolymerization |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thin Functional Polymer Films by Electropolymerization |
| title_short | Thin Functional Polymer Films by Electropolymerization |
| title_sort | thin functional polymer films by electropolymerization |
| topic | electropolymerization thin films electrochromic devices microporosity polymer networks nitrobenzene detection |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/9/8/1125 |
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