Conducting Thermoset Polymers

Continuing efforts to develop conducting thermoset polymers in which the Pi-conjugation extends along the backbone and through the crosslink are described. Acetylene terminated Schiff bases, acetylene-terminated polythiophenes and acetylene-terminated polyanilines are being investigated. Two different approaches to get these thermosets conducting are being pursued in the AT-Schiff bases and AT-polythiophenes the monomers are first cured then doped with iodine, whereas in the AT-polyanilines the oligomers are first doped with protonic acids then cured. Electron spin resonance, photoluminescence and photo-absorption data suggest that polarons can form in the doped and undoped forms of the AT-Schiff bases and AT-polythiophenes. The dependences of the ESR lineshape parameters of the AT-Schiff bases and amine-cured epoxies on iodine content can be explained in terms of a model involving equilibria between polymeric radical cation complexes containing different stoichiometric amounts of iodine. Several AT-polyanilines oligomers containing either alkoxy substituents or meta substitution in the backbones were synthesized in order to improve the possibility of thermosets. These oligomers were doped with different organic acids. The maximum conductivity value measured was 2 x 10 exp -2 Scm. Conducting polymer, Thermoset, Acetylene-terminated Schiff base, Acetylene- terminated polythiophene, Acetylene-terminated polyaniline, p-type dopant, Acid dopant, Electron spin resonance.