SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND CONDUCTIVITIES OF POLY(2-VINYLPYRIDINE)-GRAFT-POLYOXYETHYLENE USING A MACROMER TECHNIQUE

Poly( 2-vinylpyridine) (P2-VP) with uniform polyoxyethylene (PEG) graf ts was synthesized using a macromer technique. 2-Vinylpyridine was cop olymerized with PEG macromer in solution by using azobisisobutyronitri le (AIBN) as the initiator. The effects of the amount of AIBN, the con centrations of 2-vinylpyridine and macromer, the number-average molecu lar weight of macromer, and the charging ratio of macromer to 2-vinylp yridine in the copolymerization were studied. The copolymerization rat e of the PEO macromer with 2-vinylpyridine was also investigated. The grafting efficiency reached about 56%. The crude graft copolymer was p urified by extraction and precipitation, and it was characterized by I R, H-1-NMR, and Bruss membrane osmometry. The PEO grafts were doped wi th LiClO4 and showed ionic conductivity around 4.10 x 10(-6) S . cm(-1 ) at 25 degrees C whereas the P2-VP main chains were complexed with TC NQ to obtain electronic conductivity around 5.50 x 10(-6) S . cm(-1) a t 25 degrees C. The mixed (ionic and electronic) conductivity of the d oped copolymer could reach about 5.40 x 10(-5) S . cm(-1) at 25 degree s C and showed a synergistic effect.