Conducting polymers at electrode surfaces as studied by in situ ESR/UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy

Conducting polymers can form both polarons and bipolarons in redox reaction s at electrodes surfaces. Both of these species can be studied by UV-Vis-NI R spectroscopy. To follow the polaron by the in situ ESR spectroscopic tech nique and the bipolaron formation by the UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy in electro chemical studies a special equipment is required. For this purpose an optic al ESR cavity is applied to do transmission spectroscopy at optically trans parent electrodes in an ESR spectrometer. The advantages of the in situ ESR /UV-Vis-NIR spectroelectrochemical measurements is presented in the study o f different polymeric structures like polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyanili ne and oligothiophenes.