TITLE:
Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Electrochemical Polymerization of Thiophene-Based Monomers: Polymerization in Cholesteric Liquid Crystal and Columnar Phase
AUTHORS:
Naoto Eguchi, Hiromasa Goto
KEYWORDS:
Conductive Polymer, Electrochemical Polymerization, Lyotropic Liquid Crystal, Columnar Phase
JOURNAL NAME:
Soft,
Vol.5 No.2,
June
9,
2017
ABSTRACT: Synthesis of conductive polymer
poly([thiophene]-[benzo[1,2,3]thiadiazole] [thiophene]) (abbreviated as P(T-Btdaz-T)) was achieved by
electrochemical polymerization in hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC)/N,N-dimethylformamide
(DMF) in liquid crystal state. The polymer thus obtained shows fingerprint
texture, which is derived from helical structure of the HPC in cholesteric
liquid crystal state. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements
revealed that the polymer film is P(T-Btdaz-T)/HPC composite. Circular
dichroism optical absorption spectroscopy measurements show that the polymer
has the optical activity. Next,
electrochemical polymerization of 3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene (EDOT) was carried out in columnar
phase liquid crystal. The polymer transcribes the columnar structure and shows optical
structure resembling columnar liquid crystal electrolyte solution.