SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF PHENYL-SUBSTITUTED ARYLENE VINYLENE POLYMERS AND COPOLYMERS

Poly(phenyl-1,4-phenylene vinylene) (PhPPV) and a series of arylene vi nylene copolymers containing phenyl-monosubstituted arylene units and either unsubstituted or a,5-dialkoxy 1,4-phenylene vinylene units was prepared from water-soluble, sulfonium salt precursor polymers. The co nversions of the respective precursor polymers to the conjugated polym ers were studied by thermogravimetric analysis, and the arylene vinyle ne polymers so formed were characterized by elemental analysis and by FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The substituted polymers could be drawn above their softening points even though some degree of crosslinking occurred during the thermal elimination step. Doping of the polymer fi lms with either iodine or antimony pentafluoride vapor led to conducti vities in the 10(-4) S . cm(-1) range. The low level of conductivity o bserved may be a result of morphological perturbations that inhibit th e interchain hopping of the charge carriers.