Conducting Copolymers of Random and Block Copolymers of Electroactive and Liquid Crystalline Monomers with Pyrrole and Thiophene

Abstract

Block and random copolymers having 3‐methyl thienylmethacrylate and 6‐(4‐cyanobiphenyl‐4′‐oxy)hexyl acrylate moieties were utilized as precursor polymers in this study. Electrochemical copolymerizations were performed in the presence of thiophene or pyrrole in acetonitrile‐tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TBAFB) at constant potential. The characterizations were performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetry analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), conductivity measurements. Electrochromic properties of the resultant conducting copolymers were investigated by spectroelectrochemistry and colorimetry studies. It was observed that, variation in the copolymer type or composition of the precursor polymer resulted in stern effects on surface morphology, spectroelectrochemistry, color and conductivity of the resultant graft copolymer.