ELECTROPOLYMERIZATION OF THIOPHENE WITH AND WITHOUT ANILINE IN ACETONITRILE

The electrooxidation behaviors of thiophene and 3-methylthiophene on a Pt surface in acetonitrile/tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate solut ion were investigated using cyclic voltammetry. The electropolymerizat ion of these monomers and electrochemical properties of polythiophene and poly(3-methylthiophene) were studied in neutral, acidic and basic media. Mechanisms related to the formation of polymers and electroacti vity loss were proposed. The effect of thiophene on the electroprepara tion and properties of polyaniline were also investigated. The presenc e of thiophene in solutions of aniline in acetonitrile accelerates the formation and causes an improvement in the conductivity of polyanilin e films. Thiophene, which catalyzes the polyaniline formation, enters into the structure of the polymer in solutions containing higher thiop hene to aniline concentration ratios and forms a copolymer.