CONDUCTIVE POLY(N-OCTYL-3-THIOPHENE) GELS - GEL FRACTION, SWELLING

This study concerns poly(n-3-octyl-thiophene) gels. A classical percol ation approach is proposed to define a variable which describes the st ate of gelation. This variable depends on the initial stoecchiometry a nd on the cross-links functionality, Master curves are obtained which relate the gel fraction to the percolation variable for the various ty pes of used cross-links. This approach suggests that the extent of the crosslinking reaction is greater than 99%. These gels can swell in ch loroform. First results suggest that the inverse of the swelling ratio increases linearly with the gel fraction. A Nuclear Magnetic Relaxati on approach is in progress to explore the statistical structure of the se networks.