GB2124635A

GB2124635A - Polymer composition

Info

Publication number: GB2124635A
Application number: GB08320646A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Gordon Cross; Robert Lines
Original assignee: Raychem Ltd
Current assignee: Raychem Ltd
Priority date: 1982-08-02
Filing date: 1983-08-01
Publication date: 1984-02-22
Also published as: US5378402A; EP0104726A3; GB2124635B; EP0104726A2; GB8320646D0; EP0104726B1; CA1248263A; DE3377308D1

Abstract

Electrically conductive polymers, especially polypyrroles, are formed with a charged polymeric dopant supplying the necessary counter-ions to stabilise the charged conductive form of the conductive polymer. The physical properties of the conductive polymer can thus be usefully modified in ways different from those achieved by non-polymeric dopants or by forming the conductive polymers in pre-existing bodies of non dopant (i.e. uncharged) polymers. Examples of the dopants which can be used are ionisable polysulphonate, poly(2- acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulphonic acid), sulphonated poly(2,5- dimethylphenyleneoxide), sulphonated polystyrene, sulphonated polyethylene, sulphonated styrene (hydrogenated) butadiene copolymer and ionisable polycarboxylate or polyphosphonate.

Description

1 GB 2 124 635.A 1

SPECIFICATION Polymer composition

This invention relates to compositions comprising an electrically conductive polymer.

Known electrically conductive polymers include polysulphur nitrides, polyanilines, poly acetylenes and polypyrroles. Although some polymers e.g. (SN). are intrinsically conductive, many polymers require oxidation (or reduction) to render them significantly electrically conductive.

For example, polyacetylenes require oxidation or reduction, polypyrroles require oxidation. The process of oxidation (or reduction) is often called doping and a counter-ion is required to associate itself with the oxidised (or red") polymer to balance the ionic charges therein. This counter ion is often referred to as a dopant. Examples of dopant include 13174, p-toiuene sulphonate, Br.

In the interest of clarity, the phrase -electrically conductive polymer" will be used herein to mean 85 any polymer or oligomer inherently or intrinsically capable of electrical conductivity or semi conductivity, (hereinafter both included in the terms -electrical conductivity- or -electrically conductive"), regardless of whether or not oxidation/reduction of the polymer and/or the presence of a---dopant- is or are required or present actually to render it electrically conductive. Thus, the aforesaid phrase includes inorganic polymers such as the polysulphur nitrides, and organic polymers such as the poly and particularly includes the organic polymers whether in the "doped" electrically more conductive state, or in the---undoped- or "dedoped" electrically less conductive state.

The terms---doping-and -de-doping- will be taken to mean the oxidation/reduction processes used to convert the polymers between their less conductive and more conductive states; the term ---dopants- will refer to the aforementioned counter-ions and to the materials used to provide the counter-ions which stabilise the more conductive form of the polymers; and the terms 11 un-doped", "doped" and "de-doped" will be understood accordingly.

The present invention provides a polymer composition comprising an electrically conductive polymer associated with a polymeric dopant which stabilises the polymer in an electrically conductive state.

It will be understood that the -polymeric dopant- specified in accordance with the present invention is a material in which the necessary counter-ions are provided by a polymer or oligomer molecule having charged groups in the 120 polymer backbone and/or as side chains or pendant groups, examples of such a polymeric dopant including polymers and oligomers carrying ionisable sulphonate, carboxylate, or phosphonate groups, polyelectrolytes, and ionenes (generic 125 name for ionic amines).

The use of a polymeric dopant according to the present invention leads to very considerable advantages over the dopants used in the past. For example, the physical and/or chemical characteristics of the polymeric dopant can be used to modify those of the conductive polymer itself. Furthermore because the modifying polymer is also the dopant, it can be drawn into the conductive polymer during formation of the latter in a solution of the dopant to form a modified polymer film which will have different properties from those which can be achieved by forming a conventionally doped conductive polymer in a solvent-swollen pre-formed film of another polymer. Also, because the polymeric dopant will tend to interpenetrate with the conductive polymer, it can provide an intimate combination of the materials which will be highly resistant to undesired loss of dopant and dedoping.

Thus, further aspects of the present invention provide (1) a method of making an electrically conductive polymer, comprising bringing the polymer from an electrically less conductive state to an electrically more conductive state in the presence of a polymeric dopant which stabilises the polymer in the more conductive state; (2) a method of making an electrically conductive polymer comprising polymerising an appropriate monomer in the presence of a polymeric dopant capable of stabilising the electrically conductive polymer in an electrically conductive state; (3) a method of making an electrically conductive polymer comprising polymerising an appropriate monomer and bringing it into an electrically conductive state in a solution of a polymeric dopant capable of stabilising the polymer in the electrically conductive state; and (4) a method of making an electrically conductive polymer comprising providing the conductive polymer in association with a monomer which is polymerisable to produce in situ a polymeric dopant capable of stabilising the conductive polymer in an electrically conductive state, and preferably including the step of polymerising the said monomer to produce the dopant.

The specific choice of polymeric dopant will depend on the nature of the conductive polymer to be formed. Positively charged dopants may be appropriate when negatively charged conductive polymers such as polyacetylenes are involved. Examples of positively charged polymeric dopants are jonenes of formula (1), (11), or (111) in the accompanying formula drawings; acrylamide copolymers such as copoly(acrylamide) (3-acrylamido-3-metyibutyitrimethyl ammonium chloride) of formula (]V) on the accompanying formula drawings; and polymers of 2- methylene ammonium or 2-methylenesulphonium salts of 1,3butadjene, of formula (V) in the accompanying formula drawings. In the formula drawings, R represents suitable organic substituent groups and n, x, y are integers of suitable value, suitable groups and integers being readily indentifiable by persons familiar with this field of technology.

Negatively charged dopants, however, are 2 GB 2 124 635 A more likely to be of interest, especially in connection with polypyrroles, which are a preferred class of electrically conductive polymers in view of their resistance to degradation on aging. An outstanding advantage of the present invention is the possibility of producing flexible self-supporting films of polypyrroles, which tend to be undesirably brittle and difficult to handle.

Examples of negatively charged polymeric dopants are ionisable polysulphonates such as salts of poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propane sulphonic acid) or ots copolymers with acryl amides or alkyl methacrylates, sulphonated poly styrene, sulphonated polyepichlorohydrin, sulphonated poly(2,5-dimethyl-phenylene oxide), sulphonated polyphenylether sulphones (or ketones), and sulphonated polyethylene, of formula (VI) to (XI) respectively in the accompanying formula drawings; polyvinylsulphonic acid sodium salt (m.w=2000), polyacrylic acid (m.w=90,000), polymaleic acid, sulphonated EPDM, being an elastomer, could also advantageously be used; polycarboxylates such as salts of polyacrylic acid and copolymers of acrylic acid; and phosphonated polymers such as that indicated by formula (XIi) in the accompanying formula drawings. The negatively charged groups may be on the polymer backbone and/or on pendant side chains, and the polymers may be aromatic and or aliphatic in nature. Copolymers and/or mixtures and blends of the above dopants can be used.

It should be noted that the polymeric dopant itself-may provide-a certain amount of ionic conductivity, but this is usually clearly distinguishable from the intrinsic electronic conductivity of the conductive polymer.

As aforesaid, an especially interesting class of electrically conductive polymers comprises poly pyrrole and its derivatives, which may be prepared from pyrrole or suitably substituted derivatives thereof, as generally indicated by formula (XIII) in the accompanying formula drawings, sufficient positions being left unsubstituted to permit the required polymerisation. Electrically conductive polymers are generally believed to operate byway of a conjugated -pi-electron system, and it will be understood that some substituents or combinations of substituents may interfere with the conjugated system so as to detract from or destroy the desired electrical conductivity, acceptable substituents being readily determinable by simple testing the conductivity of 115 the resulting polymer.

Other classes of electrically conductive polymer which may benefit from the use of polymeric dopants according to the present invention include polymers of anilines and naphthylamines of formula (XIV) and (XV); and conjugated polymers such as polyacetylenes and polyphenylenes.

The electrically conductive polymers with poly menc, dopants according to the present invention may be prepared in several different ways. 125 Electrochemical methods of preparing electrically conductive polymers can be used as follows to produce the polymer-doped materials of the present invention. In general, an electrochemical cell is used, wherein two electrodes (made from, for example, stainless steel, platinum or Indium oxide coated glass) are immersed in an electrolyte mixture, suspension or solution. The electrolyte includes a polymer carrying groups which are ionisable into an appropriately charged ionic dopant species. The solvent or mixture of solvents may be chosen from protic and aprotic solvents, for example acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl formamide, water, methanol. To the electrolyte mixture is added the monomer species that is to be oxidatively polymerised to form the desired electrically conductive polymer. Stirring of the resulting mixture may be required to achieve a homogeneous mixture. Upon operation of the cell, an electrically conducting film is formed on the appropriate electrode. With positively charged polymers such as polypyrroles, the film is formed on the anode and is partially oxidised and contains a negatively charged polymer dopant to provide charge neutrality to the film.

go Chemical preparative methods can also be used, in which the monomer and the polymeric dopant are mixed with an oxidising agent in a suitable liquid vehicle. The oxidising agent can advantageously be carried by the polymeric dopant of the present invention, for example by forming the ferric salt of a dopant such as sulphonated polystyrene, thereby bringing about simultaneous oxidative polymerisation and doping with the negatively charged polymeric dopant.

This ingeniously avoids or reduces the degree of doping with inorganic anions, which would occur if ferric chloride were used as the oxidising agent.

Some specific examples of the present invention will now be described, in which electrical conductivity was measured by a 4probe method similar to that described in "Organic Semiconducting Polymers", Ed. J.E. Katon, (Marcel Dekker 1968).

Sulphonated polymeric dopants were obtained as follows, unless otherwise stated in the Examples.

Sulphonated Polyethylene Commercially available chlorosulphonated polyethylene (density 1.28) containing 1. 1 % by wt. S, which indicates a degree of sulphonation of approx. 2% by weight, was hydrolysed with NaOH to convert the S02C' groups to -SO,-Na' (see Formula X0 and used in this form as the electrolyte in the electrochemical doping experiments.

Sulphonated polystyrene Polystyrene (Average molecular not 70,000) was treated with chlorosulphonic acid and the product was subsequently hydrolysed to give an acidic ionisable polymer, that contained 3.23% by wt. S (degree of sulphonation approx. 12% by wt.).

3 GB 2 124 635 A 3 Sulphonated poly(2,5-dimethylphenylene oxide) Commercially available po ly(2,5-di methy]phenylene oxide) was treated with chloro- sulphonic acid and subsequently hydrolysed to give an acidic ionisable polymer, containing 3.54% by wt. S (degree of sulphonation approx. 16% by wt.).

Preparation of sulphonated poly(vinyl alcohol) 24.8 g Chlorosulphonic acid added slowly with rapid stirring to 100 mis pyridine. This solution was added to a suspension of 8.8 g poly(vinyl alcohol) of molecular weight 14000 in 100 mi. pyridine. The mixture was heated at 900C for one hour with continuous stirring, allowed to cool to room temperature and solids were removed by vacuum filtration. The solids were re-dissolved in 200 mis distilled water; 100 mls of water were then removed on a rotary evacuator, and the remaining solution was acidified with 50 mls 1 M HCl. The polymer was precipitated by addition of methanol, redissolved in water and reprecipitated with methanol, washed with methanol and dried over P,O, under vacuum.

- 25 Degree of sulphonation=25% by weight determined by sulphur content.

Preparation of a sulphonated styrene (hydrogenated) butadiene copolymer 800 mis dichloromethane were placed in a 2 litre round bottomed flask fitted with 500 ml dropping funnels, high speed stirrer, reflux condenser, N2 inlet and gas outlet attached to inverted funnel/H20 gas absorber. One of the dropping funnels contained 20 g of a commercially available styrene- (hydrogenated) butacliene copolymer dissolved in 500 mls dichloromethane the other funnel contained 3.6 mls chlorosulphonic acid in 500 mis dichloromethane.

The reaction flask was cooled at 50C and kept at this temperature during the addition of the reactants. The solutions of chlorosulphonic acid and the polymer were added at the same slow rate over approximately 3 hours. Rapid stirring was maintained throughout the addition. After addition was complete stirring was continued and the reaction maintained at WC for 16 hours. The temperature was allowed to rise to room temperature and the reaction left stir-ring for a further 24 hours. The reaction was monitored by the quantity of HCI liberated. The HCI was measured by titrating the water in the gas absorber with 1 M NaOH using phenolphthalein indicator.

The dichlormethane was removed from the precipitated polymer by a combination of decanting, filtration and rotary evacuation. The polymer was dissolved in TH F and precipitated by addition with rapid stirring, to distilled water. THF 120 was removed from the water/polymer suspension by rotary evacuation and the polymer filtered. Polymer dried at 400C under vacuum and over NaOH Cl' NIVIR shows addition of sulphonic acid to be on aromatic section of polymer.

Sulphur content=4.8%. This can be altered by time of reaction.

Example 1

Two stainless steel electrodes 2 cm apart were employed as the anode and cathode of an electrolytic cell, having an electrolyte mixture consisting of 1 g commercially available (Aldrich) poly(2-a cryl am ido-2-m ethyl propane sulphonic acid) in a mixture of 37 cc water and 10 cc acetonitrile, together with 0.06 moles of pyrrole. During the operation of the cell the mixture was stirred.

The electrolytic cell was powered by a D.C. power supply. Electrolysis of the electrolyte mixture was carried out by applying to the cell an electrical potential of 5V for a period of one hour, during which time the current density was 5 mAcm -2.

A black film (33 microns thick) was deposited on the anode and was removed to give a freestanding film that was tough and flexible while wet. After drying in air the film was brittle, and could not be creased or folded in two like paper without fracturing. The "dry" film had a room temperature conductivity (4 probe measurement) of 2 5 Scm-1.

Example 2

A similar procedure to that of Example 1 was followed but this time employing as the electrolyte so u ion of g o t e aci orm o sulphonated poly(2,5-dimethylphenylene oxide) in 75 cc water. The cell was operated at a current density of 5 mAcm-' for 45 minutes. A black free standing film 36 microns thick was obtained that was extremely tough and flexible when wet. When dry the film was very brittle and had a room temperature conductivity of 0.3 Scim Example 3

The procedure of Example 2 was repeated, but this time employing as the electrolyte a solution of 2 9 of the acid form of sulphonated poly(2,5dimethylphenylene oxide) in 50 cc DIVIF, and the polymerisable species used was aniline (0.02 moles), at a current density of (6 mAcM-2 for 45 minutes.

A black film was deposited on the anode and could be removed to give (it is believed for the first time) a free- standing film consisting substantially only of polyaniline and dopant. The film was very brittle, and the sample was too small for conductivity to be determined.

Example 4

The procedure of Example 1 was followed, but this time employing as the electrolyte 5 g of the sodium salt of sulphonated polyethylene in a mixture of 1.5 cc of water and 50 cc of tetrahydrofuran, at a current density of 1 mAcm-' for a period of one hour.

A black film was deposited on the anode and on removal was found to be flexible (creaseable) 4 GB 2 124 635 A 4 and stretchable (30% elongation to break) both when wet and when dry, with a dry conductivity of about 10-3 SCM-1.

Example 5

The procedure of Example 1 was followed but this time employing as the electrolyte mixture, 2 g of the sodium salt of sulphonated polystyrene in cc acetonitrile, at a current density of 1 mAcm-1 for 45 minutes.

A shiny black film was formed on the anode 70 and when dry was very brittle. (Conductivity not determined).

Example 6

Sulphonated poly(vinyl alcohol) 0.03 moles of pyrrole were dissolved in 30 mls of a solution of 2 g 25% sulphonated poly(vinyl alcohol) in 50 mls DIVIF and 20 mls water. This solution was electrolysed for one and a half hours at a current density of 10 mAcm' on stainless steel electrodes as in Example 1. A black film of polypyrrole doped with sulphonated polyvinyl alcohol was removed from the anode. The film was 0. 24 mm thick and had a conductivity of 2.56 Scm-1. The dry film was tough but brittle.

Example 7 Poly(methacrylic acid) 0.045 moles of pyrrole were dissolved in 50 mls of a solution of 10 g poly(methacrylic acid) supplied by BDH in 40 mls water and 50 mis methanol. This solution was electrolysed for one and a half hours at a current density of 10 mAcm' on stainless steel electrodes. A black film of polypyrrole doped with poly(methacrylic acid) was removed from the anode. The film was 0.09 mm thick and had a conductivity of 1.70 Scm- The dry film was brittle.

Example 8

Sulphonated sytrene (hydrogenated) butadiene copolymer An electrolysvs solution was prepared by dissolving pyrrole (5% v) in a solution of the sulphonated polymer (2% wt.) in tetrahydro- 105 fu ran:nitro benzene (75/25 v/v). This solution was electrolysed in a cell consisting of a solid stainless steel anode and a stainless steel gauze cathode separated by 5 mm. A constant current of 1 mAcm -2 was passed for 20 minutes. Stirring of the electrolyte was maintained through the electrolysis. The polypyrrole film was peeled from the anode and washed in tetrahydrofuran and then dried under vacuum at 500C. Film thickness was 0.4 mm.

Physical properties The film was smooth on one side (electrode side) and very rough on the other (solution side). The smooth side has a conductivity of 5x 1 W' Scm-1 while the rough side was essentially conconductive. Examination of the film under a microscope revealed a laminate structure. The film could be moulded readily under heat and pressure to give a completely smooth film. Also, by folding the film in half and hot pressing a film conductive on both sides was obtained.

Film as prepared: thickness 0.4 mm, ultimate elongation 410%, stress at failure 18 MPa.

Pressed film: thickness 0.27 mm, ultimate elongation 390%, stress at failure 32 M Pa.

Claims

1. A polymer composition comprising an electrically conductive polymer assocaited with a polymeric dopant which stabilizes the polymer in an electrically conductive state.

2. A composition according to claim 1, wherein the conductive polymer is positively charged and the dopant is negatively charged.

3. A composition according to claim 2, wherein the conductive polymer is a polymer of aniline or a substituted aniline.

4. A composition according to claim 2, wherein the conductive polymer is a polymer of pyrrole or a substituted pyrrole.

5. A composition according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the polymeric dopant is an ionisable polysulphonate.

6. A composition according to claim 5, wh6rein - the dopant is poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyi-.

propane sulphonic acid), sulphonated poly(2,5 dimethylphenylene oxide), or sulphonated polystyrene.

7. A composition according to claim 5, wherein the dopant is sulphonated polyethyiene.

-

8. A-compos-ition according to claim 5 ' wherein the dopant is sulphonated styrene (hydrogenated) butadiene copolymer.

9. A composition according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the dopant is an ionisable poly carboxylate or polyphosphonate.

10. A composition according to claim 2 substantially as described in any one of the foregoing Example 1 to 8.

11. A self-supporting film comprising an electrically conductive polymer associated with a polymeric dopant which stabilises the polymer in an electrically conductive state.

12. A self-supporting film according to claim 11, comprising substantially only the conductive polymer and the dopant, wherein the conductive polymer is a polymer of aniline or a suitably substituted aniline.

13. A self-supporting film of a composition according to any of claims 2 and 4 to 10, wherein the conductive polymer is not a polymer of aniline or substituted aniline.

14. A self-supporting film according to any of claims 11 to 13 having a greater concentration of the conductive polymer at one of its surfaces and a greater concentration of the dopant at the other of its surfaces.

15. A method of preparing an electrically conductive polymer, comprising polymerising an appropriate monomer in the presence of a -polymeric dopant capable of stabilising the electrically conductive polymer in an electrically conductive state.

-5 GB 2 124 635 A 5

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the monomer is polymerised in a solution of the polymeric dopant.

7. A method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the polymerisation is carried out electro- 35 chemically.

18. A method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the polymerisation is effected chemically.

19. A method according to any of claims 15 to 18, wherein the conductive polymer requires oxidation to bring it into an electrically conductive state, and such oxidation is carried out during and/or after the polymerisation.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the oxidation is effected by means of an oxidising 45 agent bonded to the polymeric dopant.

21. A method of preparing an electrically conductive polymer comprising bringing the polymer from an electrically less conductive state to an electrically more conductive state in the 50 presence of a polymeric dopant which stabilises the electrically conductive polymer in the electrically more conductive state.

22. A method of preparing an electrically conductive polymer comprising providing the conductive polymer in association with a monomer which is polymerisable to produce in situ a polymeric dopant capable of stabilising the conductive polymer in an electrically conductive state.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Courier Press, -25 Southaffipton-BiiildFn-gs, Loon-don, WC2A 1 AY, -

23. A method according to claim 22, including the step of polymerising the said monomer to produce the said dopant.

24. A method according to any of claims 15 to 23, wherein the conductive polymer is positively charged and the dopant is negatively charged.

25. A method according to claim 20, wherein the conductive polymer is a polymer of aniline or a substituted aniline.

26. A method according to claim 20, wherein the conductive polymer is a polymer of pyrrole or a substituted pyrrole.

27. A method according to claim 24,25 or 26, wherein the dopant is a polysulphonate.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the conductive dopant is poly(2-acrylamido-2 methylpropant sulphonic acid), sulphonated poly(2,5-dimethylphenylene oxide), or sulphonated polystyrene.

29. A method according to claim 27, wherein the dopant is a sulphonated polyethylene.

30. A method according to claim 27 wherein the dopant is a sulphonated styrene (hydrogenated) butadiene copolymer.

3 1. A method according to claim 24, 25 or 26 wherein the dopant is an ionisable polycarboxy late or polyphosponate.

32. A method according to claim 15, substantially as described in any one of the foregoing Examples 1 to 8.

eamington Spa, 1984. Published by the Patent Office, from which copies may be obtained.