X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies of electroactive polymers

Abstract

The electroactive polymers most commonly studied during the past decade include polyacetylene, polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyphenylene, poly(phenylene sulfide), poly(phenylene vinylenel and some non-conjugated polymers, such as the polyvinylpyridine and poly(N-vinyl-carbazole). These polymers along with their analogs and derivatives have been selected to illustrate the type and level of information which can be obtained by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) technique. It is demonstrated that XPS provides an excellent tool for evaluating the three most important physicochemical properties associated with these polymers, viz., the intrinsic structure, the charge transfer interaction, and the stability and degradation behavior. Some future research directions may involve surface modified or functionalized materials, as well as the application of more surface-sensitive techniques, such as secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), which allow us to probe the reactive surfaces and interfaces of the electroactive polymers.