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Conductive Polymers 2017

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2017) | Viewed by 153938

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Dr. Changsik Song

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Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi 16419, Korea
Interests: molecular design; synthesis; stimuli-responsive materials; biomass-derived polymers; vitrimers; supramolecular polymers
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Prof. Dr. Hyeonseok Yoon

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1. School of Polymer Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
2. Department of Polymer Engineering, Graduate School, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
Interests: conducting polymers; nanoparticles; composites; sensors; electrochemistry
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to its previous success, we are delighted to reopen the Special Issue on “Conductive Polymers”. Previous author contributions showed how important the elaborated design and synthesis of functional conductive polymers are for various applications. We hope to continue to bring an inspiring perspective on developing novel (molecular) structures of conductive polymers.

Conductive polymers have been the subject of research interest for the last several decades since their interesting electronic properties are combined with their flexibility and light weight, and they have been utilized in sensors, actuators, and energy storage and conversion. Recent advances have been made on the control of three-dimensional structures, beyond the basic chemical structures, of conductive polymers in order to create novel functional materials. For example, hierarchically nanostructured conductive polymers have been developed and applied in sensors, supercapacitors, and battery electrodes. The control of higher level structures would also be important in developing conductive polymer-nanoparticle hybrid materials.

This Special Issue aims to report the recent progress of developing functional conductive polymers with novel structures, which can be applied in (but not limited to) sensors, actuators, supercapacitors, and batteries. Both original articles and reviews are welcome.

Dr. Changsik Song
Dr. Hyeonseok Yoon
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

Conductive polymers
Nanostructure
Hierarchical structure
Polymer–nanoparticle hybrid
Sensors
Actuators
Energy storage

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Related Special Issues

Conductive Polymers 2016 in Polymers (10 articles)
Conductive Polymers III in Polymers (3 articles)

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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4919 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morphological and Structural Analysis of Polyaniline and Poly(o-anisidine) Layers Generated in a DC Glow Discharge Plasma by Using an Oblique Angle Electrode Deposition Configuration

by Bogdan Butoi, Andreea Groza, Paul Dinca, Adriana Balan and Valentin Barna

Polymers 2017, 9(12), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9120732 - 20 Dec 2017

Cited by 152 | Viewed by 8790

Abstract

This work is focused on the structural and morphological investigations of polyaniline and poly(o-anisidine) polymers generated in a direct current glow discharge plasma, in the vapors of the monomers, without a buffer gas, using an oblique angle-positioned substrate configuration. By atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy we identified the formation of worm-like interlinked structures on the surface of the polyaniline layers, the layers being compact in the bulk. The poly(o-anisidine) layers are flat with no kind of structures on their surfaces. By Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy we identified the main IR bands characteristic of polyaniline and poly(o-anisidine), confirming that the polyaniline chemical structure is in the emeraldine form. The IR band from 1070 cm⁻¹ was attributed to the emeraldine salt form of polyaniline as an indication of its doping with H⁺. The appearance of the IR band at 1155 cm⁻¹ also indicates the conducting protonated of polyaniline. The X-ray diffraction revealed the formation of crystalline domains embedded in an amorphous matrix within the polyaniline layers. The interchain separation length of 3.59 Å is also an indicator of the conductive character of the polymers. The X-ray diffraction pattern of poly(o-anisidine) highlights the semi-crystalline nature of the layers. The electrical conductivities of polyaniline and poly(o-anisidine) layers and their dependence with temperature are also investigated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conductive Polymers 2017)

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3556 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Highly Conductive 3D Segregated Graphene Architecture in Polypropylene Composite with Efficient EMI Shielding

by Fakhr E. Alam, Jinhong Yu, Dianyu Shen, Wen Dai, He Li, Xiaoliang Zeng, Yagang Yao, Shiyu Du, Nan Jiang and Cheng-Te Lin

Polymers 2017, 9(12), 662; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9120662 - 2 Dec 2017

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 7225

Abstract

The extensive use of electronic equipment in modern life causes potential electromagnetic pollution harmful to human health. Therefore, it is of great significance to enhance the electrical conductivity of polymers, which are widely used in electronic components, to screen out electromagnetic waves. The fabrication of graphene/polymer composites has attracted much attention in recent years due to the excellent electrical properties of graphene. However, the uniform distribution of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) in a non-polar polymer matrix like polypropylene (PP) still remains a challenge, resulting in the limited improvement of electrical conductivity of PP-based composites achieved to date. Here, we propose a single-step approach to prepare GNPs/PP composites embedded with a segregated architecture of GNPs by coating PP particles with GNPs, followed by hot-pressing. As a result, the electrical conductivity of 10 wt % GNPs-loaded composites reaches 10.86 S·cm⁻¹, which is ≈7 times higher than that of the composites made by the melt-blending process. Accordingly, a high electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of 19.3 dB can be achieved. Our method is green, low-cost, and scalable to develop 3D GNPs architecture in a polymer matrix, providing a versatile composite material suitable for use in electronics, aerospace, and automotive industries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conductive Polymers 2017)

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1496 KiB

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Molecular Spring Enabled High-Performance Anode for Lithium Ion Batteries

by Tianyue Zheng, Zhe Jia, Na Lin, Thorsten Langer, Simon Lux, Isaac Lund, Ann-Christin Gentschev, Juan Qiao and Gao Liu

Polymers 2017, 9(12), 657; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9120657 - 29 Nov 2017

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 7490

Abstract

Flexible butyl interconnection segments are synthetically incorporated into an electronically conductive poly(pyrene methacrylate) homopolymer and its copolymer. The insertion of butyl segment makes the pyrene polymer more flexible, and can better accommodate deformation. This new class of flexible and conductive polymers can be used as a polymer binder and adhesive to facilitate the electrochemical performance of a silicon/graphene composite anode material for lithium ion battery application. They act like a “spring” to maintain the electrode mechanical and electrical integrity. High mass loading and high areal capacity, which are critical design requirements of high energy batteries, have been achieved in the electrodes composed of the novel binders and silicon/graphene composite material. A remarkable area capacity of over 5 mAh/cm² and volumetric capacity of over 1700 Ah/L have been reached at a high current rate of 333 mA/g. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conductive Polymers 2017)

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5519 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A New Insight in Determining the Percolation Threshold of Electrical Conductivity for Extrinsically Conducting Polymer Composites through Different Sigmoidal Models

by Mostafizur Rahaman, Ali Aldalbahi, Periyasami Govindasami, Noorunnisa P. Khanam, Subhendu Bhandari, Peter Feng and Tariq Altalhi

Polymers 2017, 9(10), 527; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9100527 - 19 Oct 2017

Cited by 99 | Viewed by 11344

Abstract

The electrical conductivity of extrinsically conducting polymer composite systems passes through a transition state known as percolation threshold. A discussion has been made on how different Sigmoidal models (S-models), such as Sigmoidal–Boltzmann (SB), Sigmoidal–Dose Response (SD), Sigmoidal–Hill (SH), Sigmoidal–Logistic (SL), and Sigmoidal–Logistic-1 (SL-1), can be applied to predict the percolation threshold of electrical conductivity for ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer (NBR) conducting composite systems filled with different carbon fillers. An interesting finding that comes from these observations is that the percolation threshold for electrical conductivity determined by SB and SD models are similar, whereas, the other models give different result when estimated for a particular composite system. This similarity and discrepancy in the results of percolation threshold have been discussed by considering the strength, weakness, and limitation of the models. The percolation threshold value for the composites has also been determined using the classical percolation theory and compared with the sigmoidal models. Moreover, to check the universal applicability, these Sigmoidal models have also been tested on results from some published literature. Finally, it is revealed that, except SL-1 model, the remaining models can successfully be used to determine the percolation threshold of electrical conductivity for extrinsically conductive polymer composites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conductive Polymers 2017)

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5377 KiB

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Tunable Electrical Conductivity of Carbon-Black-Filled Ternary Polymer Blends by Constructing a Hierarchical Structure

by Qiyan Zhang, Bo-Yuan Zhang, Zhao-Xia Guo and Jian Yu

Polymers 2017, 9(9), 404; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9090404 - 31 Aug 2017

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6735

Abstract

A type of hierarchical structured composite composed of a minor thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) phase spreading at the interface of two major phases polyoxymethylene/polyamide copolymer (POM/COPA) and carbon black (CB) particles selectively localized at the TPU/COPA interface of the tri-continuous blends was fabricated by melt compounding. The hierarchical structure was designed according to predictions and verified by a combination of electron microscopy and solvent extraction technique. The hierarchical structured composites show the dramatically decreased percolation threshold, a reduction of 60% compared to those without TPU where CB is selectively distributed in the COPA phase. The effects of CB contents and TPU on the phase morphology of POM/COPA were investigated, showing the occurrence of the POM/COPA phase inversion from a sea-island to a co-continuous structure beyond the percolation threshold of CB in the presence of TPU. The mechanism for the formation of conductive network is construction of CB network at the TPU/COPA interface of tri-continuous POM/COPA/TPU blends and double percolation effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conductive Polymers 2017)

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3229 KiB

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Polymerizable Ionic Liquid Crystals Comprising Polyoxometalate Clusters toward Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Solid Electrolytes

by Takeru Ito, Saki Otobe, Tatsuma Oda, Tatsuhiro Kojima, Seiji Ono, Masayuki Watanabe, Yoshiki Kiyota, Toshiyuki Misawa, Shinichi Koguchi, Masashi Higuchi, Masaki Kawano and Yu Nagase

Polymers 2017, 9(7), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9070290 - 20 Jul 2017

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 8282

Abstract

Solid electrolytes are crucial materials for lithium-ion or fuel-cell battery technology due to their structural stability and easiness for handling. Emergence of high conductivity in solid electrolytes requires precise control of the composition and structure. A promising strategy toward highly-conductive solid electrolytes is employing a thermally-stable inorganic component and a structurally-flexible organic moiety to construct inorganic-organic hybrid materials. Ionic liquids as the organic component will be advantageous for the emergence of high conductivity, and polyoxometalate, such as heteropolyacids, are well-known as inorganic proton conductors. Here, newly-designed ionic liquid imidazolium cations, having a polymerizable methacryl group (denoted as MAImC₁), were successfully hybridized with heteropolyanions of [PW₁₂O₄₀]³⁻ (PW₁₂) to form inorganic-organic hybrid monomers of MAImC₁-PW₁₂. The synthetic procedure of MAImC₁-PW₁₂ was a simple ion-exchange reaction, being generally applicable to several polyoxometalates, in principle. MAImC₁-PW₁₂ was obtained as single crystals, and its molecular and crystal structures were clearly revealed. Additionally, the hybrid monomer of MAImC₁-PW₁₂ was polymerized by a radical polymerization using AIBN as an initiator. Some of the resulting inorganic-organic hybrid polymers exhibited conductivity of 10⁻⁴ S·cm⁻¹ order under humidified conditions at 313 K. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conductive Polymers 2017)

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4378 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrochemical Polymerization of Hydroquinone on Graphite Felt as a Pseudocapacitive Material for Application in a Microbial Fuel Cell

by Guanwen Wang and Chunhua Feng

Polymers 2017, 9(6), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9060220 - 15 Jun 2017

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 9301

Abstract

Here we reported the use of electropolymerization to achieve the transformation of aqueous hydroquinone to solid-phase polyhydroquinone (PHQ) with pseudocapacitive characteristics, and the application of this redox-active product to shuttle electron transfer in the anode system of a microbial fuel cell (MFC). The microscopic and spectroscopic results showed that the treatment of the graphite felt (GF) substrate with acids was effective in improving the amounts of surface-bound oxygen-containing groups, enabling better adhesion of PHQ onto the GF surfaces. The electrochemical measurements indicated that the resulting PHQ–AGF (acid treated GF) possessed high pseudocapacitance due to the fast and reversible redox cycling between hydroquinone and benzoquinone. The MFC equipped with the PHQ–AGF anode achieved a maximum power density of 633.6 mW m⁻², which was much higher than 368.2, 228.8, and 119.7 mW m⁻² corresponding to the MFC with the reference PHQ–GF, AGF, and GF anodes, respectively. The increase in the power performance was attributed to the incorporation of the redox-active PHQ abundant in C–OH and C=O groups that were beneficial to the increased extracellular electron transfer and enhanced bacterial adhesion on the anode. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conductive Polymers 2017)

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14409 KiB

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Synthesis, Characterization and Application of Four Novel Electrochromic Materials Employing Nitrotriphenylamine Unit as the Acceptor and Different Thiophene Derivatives as the Donor

by Shuai Li, Guoliang Liu, Xiuping Ju, Yan Zhang and Jinsheng Zhao

Polymers 2017, 9(5), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9050173 - 13 May 2017

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6567

Abstract

In this study, four novel donor–acceptor systems, 4-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin -5-yl)-N-(4-(2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin-5-yl)phenyl)-N-(4-nitrophenyl)aniline (NETPA), 4- (4-methoxythiophen-2-yl)-N-(4-(4-methoxythiophen-2-yl)phenyl)-N-(4-nitrophenyl)aniline (NMOTPA), 4-(4-methylthiophen-2-yl)-N-(4-(4-methylthiophen-2-yl)phenyl)-N-(4-nitrophenyl) aniline (NMTPA) and 4-nitro-N,N-bis(4-(thiophen-2-yl)phenyl)aniline (NTTPA), were successfully synthesized by Stille coupling reaction and electropolymerized to obtain highly stable conducting polymers, PNETPA, PNMOTPA, PNMTPA and PNTTPA, respectively. The polymers were characterized using cyclic voltammetry (CV), step profiling and UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy. The band gaps (Eg values) were 1.34, 1.59, 2.26, and 2.34 eV, for PNETPA, PNMOTPA, PNMTPA and PNTTPA, respectively. In addition, electrochromic switching showed that all polymers exhibit outstanding optical contrasts, high coloration efficiencies and fast switching speeds in the near-infrared region (NIR). These properties make the polymers suitable materials for electrochromic applications in NIR region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conductive Polymers 2017)

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3017 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) Derivatives: Innovative Conductive Polymers for Bioelectronics

by Daniele Mantione, Isabel Del Agua, Ana Sanchez-Sanchez and David Mecerreyes

Polymers 2017, 9(8), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9080354 - 11 Aug 2017

Cited by 209 | Viewed by 27761

Abstract

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)s are the conducting polymers (CP) with the biggest prospects in the field of bioelectronics due to their combination of characteristics (conductivity, stability, transparency and biocompatibility). The gold standard material is the commercially available poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). However, in order to well connect the two fields of biology and electronics, PEDOT:PSS presents some limitations associated with its low (bio)functionality. In this review, we provide an insight into the synthesis and applications of innovative poly(ethylenedioxythiophene)-type materials for bioelectronics. First, we present a detailed analysis of the different synthetic routes to (bio)functional dioxythiophene monomer/polymer derivatives. Second, we focus on the preparation of PEDOT dispersions using different biopolymers and biomolecules as dopants and stabilizers. To finish, we review the applications of innovative PEDOT-type materials such as biocompatible conducting polymer layers, conducting hydrogels, biosensors, selective detachment of cells, scaffolds for tissue engineering, electrodes for electrophysiology, implantable electrodes, stimulation of neuronal cells or pan-bio electronics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conductive Polymers 2017)

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8578 KiB

Open AccessReview

Control of Molecular Ordering, Alignment, and Charge Transport in Solution-Processed Conjugated Polymer Thin Films

by Mincheol Chang, Gyun Taek Lim, Byoungnam Park and Elsa Reichmanis

Polymers 2017, 9(6), 212; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9060212 - 8 Jun 2017

Cited by 72 | Viewed by 13121

Abstract

Morphology of conjugated polymers is a critical factor that significantly affects intrinsic charge transport characteristics and in turn performance of polymer-based devices. Morphological defects including misaligned crystalline grains and grain boundaries significantly impede efficient charge hopping between transport sites, resulting in degradation of device performance. Therefore, one important challenge is to control morphology of active polymer thin-films for achieving high performance flexible electronic devices. In the past decade, significant progress has been achieved in morphology control of conjugated polymer thin-films using solution-based processing techniques. This review focuses on recent advances in processing strategies that can tune the morphologies and thus impact charge transport properties of conjugated polymer thin films. Of the available processing strategies, polymer solution treatments and film deposition techniques will be mainly highlighted. The correlation between processing conditions, active layer morphologies, and device performance will be also be discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conductive Polymers 2017)

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7428 KiB

Open AccessReview

Electrical and Electrochemical Properties of Conducting Polymers

by Thanh-Hai Le, Yukyung Kim and Hyeonseok Yoon

Polymers 2017, 9(4), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9040150 - 23 Apr 2017

Cited by 816 | Viewed by 45402

Abstract

Conducting polymers (CPs) have received much attention in both fundamental and practical studies because they have electrical and electrochemical properties similar to those of both traditional semiconductors and metals. CPs possess excellent characteristics such as mild synthesis and processing conditions, chemical and structural diversity, tunable conductivity, and structural flexibility. Advances in nanotechnology have allowed the fabrication of versatile CP nanomaterials with improved performance for various applications including electronics, optoelectronics, sensors, and energy devices. The aim of this review is to explore the conductivity mechanisms and electrical and electrochemical properties of CPs and to discuss the factors that significantly affect these properties. The size and morphology of the materials are also discussed as key parameters that affect their major properties. Finally, the latest trends in research on electrochemical capacitors and sensors are introduced through an in-depth discussion of the most remarkable studies reported since 2003. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conductive Polymers 2017)

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