title: Ultrathin conjugated polymer network films of carbazole functionalized poly(p-phenylenes) via electropolymerization.
abstract: Ultrathin films of a cross-linked and chemically distinct conjugated poly(p-phenylene) network via electropolymerization are described. The amphiphilic network precursor was synthesized by incorporating the alkoxy carbazole group (-O(CH2)5Cb) to a poly(p-phenylene) (C6PPPOH) backbone. In order to investigate the combined thin film electrochemical and photophysical properties of poly(p-phenylene)s and polycarbazole conjugated polymers, C6PPPC5Cb was deposited on substrates using the Langmuir Blodgett Kuhn (LBK) method. The monolayer isotherm of the polymer, C6PPPC5Cb, showed a liquid expanded region slightly different from the parent polymer C6PPPOH. Multilayers (up to 30 layers) were transferred to different substrates such as quartz, gold coated LaSFN9 and ITO substrates for analysis. For conversion to a conjugated polymer network (CPN) film, the electroactive carbazole group was electropolymerized using cyclic voltammetry (CV) resulting in polycarbazole linking units. The differences in the film properties and corresponding changes in the electrochemical behavior indicate the importance of film thickness and electron/ion transport process in cross linked network films. From the electrochemical studies, the scan rate was found to have a considerable effect on electropolymerization with higher oxidation and reduction peak values found for the rigid network polymer compared to the uncrosslinked polymers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543.
authors.forename: Renu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ravindranath
authors.forename: Parayil Kumaran
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Ajikumar
authors.forename: Sheeja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bahulayan
authors.forename: Nurmawati Bte Muhammad
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Hanafiah
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Rigoberto C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Advincula
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Knoll
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valiyaveettil