ELECTROCHEMICAL QUARTZ-CRYSTAL MICROBALANCE STUDIES OF THE ELECTRODEPOSITION AND SUBSEQUENT CROSS-LINKING OF POLY(N-VINYLCARBAZOLE) FILMS

Crystal impedance and electrochemical measurements were used to demons trate that compact and rigid poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVCz) films may b e obtained from anhydrous acetonitrile solutions, provided that the po lymerisation potential is relatively low and the bath solution is enri ched in H+ ions. Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance studies o f PVCz films led to the conclusion that the break-in process includes cross-linking between the polymer chains via the vinyl groups with irr eversible incorporation of anions. The apparent diffusion coefficients obtained for transport of ions through the film during reversible oxi dation and irreversible cross linking of the polymer are, respectively , 6 x 10(-10) cm(2) s(-1) and 2 x 10(-10) cm(2) s(-1). (C) 1997 Elsevi er Science S.A.