Processing of Mono- and Multi-layer Thin Films of ConductingSurface Active Polymers

该项目的目标是利用Langmuir-Blodgett （LB）薄膜平衡技术将电活性聚合物加工成具有明确分子结构和新型电学和光学特性的薄膜形式。为了实现这一目标，将使用LB技术将含有可聚合吡咯头基团的表面活性单体操纵成单层和多层薄膜，随后转化为导电多层组件。此外，还将合成满足LB操作结构要求的溶剂溶性导电聚吡咯和聚噻吩，并将其制备成单层和多层薄膜。无法制备厚度可控的大面积电活性聚合物薄膜一直是这些材料成功利用的主要障碍之一。利用本项目开发的技术，将有可能首次制备结构明确的聚合物薄膜，其中导电聚合物链被已知尺寸和方向的绝缘区域分开。为了确定分子上层结构对这些高度各向异性组织的输运行为的影响，这些薄膜的电学和光学性质将被评估。

The objective of this project is to utilize the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film balance technique to process electroactive polymers into thin film forms with well defined molecular structures and novel electrical and optical properties. In order to accomplish this, surface active monomers containing polymerizable pyrrole head groups will be manipulated into mono- and multi-layer thin films using the LB technique and subsequently converted into electrically conductive multi-layer assemblies. In addition, solvent-soluble, electrically- conductive polypyrroles and polythiophenes that satisfy the structural requirements for LB manipulation will be synthesized and fabricated into mono- and multi-layer thin films. The inability to fabricate large area thin films of electroactive polymers with controllable thickness has been one of the major stumbling blocks to the successful utilization of these materials. Using the techniques developed in this project, it will be possible for the first time to prepare structurally well-defined thin polymer films in which an electrically conductive polymer chain is separated by insulating regions of known dimensions and orientation. The electrical and optical properties of these films will be evaluated in order to determine the influence of molecular superstructure on the transport behavior of these highly anisotropic organizations.