The optical, thermal and electrochemical properties of co-electropolymerised films of acrylamide and carbazole

The optical, thermal and electrochemical properties of co-polymer films gro wn, from acrylamide and carbazole monomer mixtures, by electrochemical oxid ation in protic and aprotic media have been studied. The availability of pr otons in the solution is found to enhance not only the growth rate of the c o-polymer but also the electrochemical behaviour of the co-polymer films. T his is especially so for the thicker films and is due to the relative ease of cation injection (as opposed to loss of anions) in maintaining electrone utrality of the polymer matrix during electrochemical reduction. The optica l properties of the layers appear to be independent of the growth medium an d starting Acrylamide:Carbazole (AAm:Cz) ratio in that similar values of th e refractive index n are obtained (n = 1.59 +/- 0.02) for all the films gro wn, from AAm:Cz ratios ranging from 80:1 to 1:10. Thermal analysis studies over the temperature range 25-400 degrees C show that the 15-25 wt.% losses recorded over this region are associated with the stabilisation, through c ross-linking, of the polymer and not with thermal degradation. This stabili sation appears to increase with the amount of carbazole incorporated within the polymer matrix. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.