Thermal behavior and electrical conductivity of poly(vinyl pyridine)/copper complexes

Poly(2-vinyl pyridine) [P2VP] and poly(4-vinyl pyridine) [P4VP]/copper iodi de binary mixtures were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in order to investigate the phase behavior of the blends at microscopic lev el. The glass transition temperature (T-g) of the P2VP/copper iodide binary mixtures as compared with pure polymer increased by 80 degrees C when the amount of Cu(I) in the blend was increased up to 40/60 wt/wt monomer/ inorg anic salt composition for P2VP. For P4VP, the T-g increased by 40 degrees C in an 80/20 wt/wt decreasing by 10 degrees C at 60/40 wt/wt. Fourier trans form infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy provided molecular-level data, suggesting that copper coordinates with pyridine rings via nitrogen ion pai rs in a metal-ligand bonding. Conductivity measurements were carried out at different temperatures and compositions, and upon increasing the amount of copper iodine in the blends, the conductivity increased drastically. (C) 2 000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.