Synthesis and electrochemical properties of mixed ionic and electronic modified polycarbazole

Polycarbazole and Its Derivatives: Synthesis and Applications. A Review of the Last 10 Years

Polycarbazole and its derivatives have been extensively used for the last three decades, although the interest in these materials briefly decreased. However, the increasing demand for conductive polymers for several applications such as light emitting diodes (OLEDs), capacitators or memory devices, among others, has renewed the interest in carbazole-based materials. In this review, the synthetic routes used for the development of carbazole-based polymers have been summarized, reviewing the main synthetic methodologies, namely chemical and electrochemical polymerization. In addition, the applications reported in the last decade for carbazole derivatives are analysed. The emergence of flexible and wearable electronic devices as a part of the internet of the things could be an important driving force to renew the interest on carbazole-based materials, being conductive polymers capable to respond adequately to requirement of these devices.

Skeleton/skin structured (RGO/CNTs)@PANI composite fiber electrodes with excellent mechanical and electrochemical performance for all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitors

Polyaniline coated reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotube composite fibers ((RGO/CNTs)@PANI, RCP) with skeleton/skin structure are designed as fiber-shaped electrodes for high performance all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor. The one-dimensional reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotube composite fibers (RGO/CNTs, RC) are prepared via a simple in-situ reduction of graphene oxide in presence of carbon nanotubes in quartz glass pipes, which exhibit excellent mechanical performance of >193.4 MPa of tensile strength. Then polyaniline is coated onto the RC fibers by electrodepositing technique. The electrochemical properties of the RCP fiber-shaped electrodes are optimized by adjusting the feeding ratio of carbon nanotubes. The optimized one exhibits good electrochemical characteristic such as highest volumetric specific capacitance of 193.1 F cm^-3 at 1 A cm^-3, as well as excellent cyclic retention of 92.60% after 2000 cyclic voltammetry cycles. Furthermore, the all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor, fabricated by using the final composite fiber as both positive and negative electrodes pre-coated with the poly(vinyl alcohol)/H₂SO₄ gel polyelectrolyte, possesses volumetric capacitance of 36.7 F cm^-3 at 0.2 A cm^-3 and could light up a red light-emitting diode easily. The excellent mechanical and electrochemical performances make the designed supercapacitor as promising high performance wearable energy storage device.

Electrochemical Synthesis of some Polyazomethines by Organometallic Reductive Catalysis

Three monomers with preformed Schiff base structures and ~nal bromine atoms were synthesized: N, N°-bis(4-bromophenyl)-terephthaldiimine (I), N, N°-bis(4-bromobenzylidene)-benzene-1,4-dia-mine (II) and N-(4-bromobenzylidene)-4°-bromoaniline (III). All these compounds were used to prepare polyazomethines by dehalogenative coupling reactions via organometallic reductive catalysis (Ni0.bipy). The monomers and corresponding polymers were characterized by spectral methods (FT-IR, 1HNMR, UV-Vis) as well as by thermal analysis

Synthesis and Study of Arylenevinylene and Aryleneimine-Type Polymers Containing N-Hexyl-3.6-Carbazolyl Groups

Two monomers with preformed Schiff base and arylenevinylene structure and final bromine substituents were synthesized by coupling of 3-formyl-6-bromo-N-hexyl-carbazole with 1,4-phenylenediamine and tetraethyl-p-xylylene diphosphonate, respectively. These compounds were used to synthesize arylenimine and arylenevinylene polymers containing N-hexyl 3,6-carbazolylydiyl units in the main chain by dehalogenative coupling reactions via organometallic reductive catalysis (Ni°.bipy). The polymers were characterized by spectral methods (Fourier transform-infrared, 1H NMR, UV-vis and fluorescence) as well as gel permeation chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry.

Benzoyl Peroxide Oxidation Route to the Synthesis of Solvent Soluble Polycarbazole

Carbazole was oxidized by benzoyl peroxide in presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid to polycarbazole salt at room temperature for the first time. Polycarbazole salts were synthesized via solution and emulsion polymerization pathways. Polycarbazole bases were prepared by dedoping from polycarbazole salts. Formation of polycarbazoles was confirmed from infrared, electronic absorption and EDAX spectra. Polycarbazole salt was obtained in amorphous nature in semiconductor range (10(-5) S/cm), which was found to be soluble in less and high polar solvents. Polycarbazole salt prepared by emulsion polymerization pathway showed mixture of shapes with microrod, sphere, and pores, whereas its corresponding base showed only micropores structure. On the other hand, polycarbazole salt and its corresponding base prepared by solution polymerization pathway showed flake-like morphology. Higher thermal stability was obtained for polycarbazole salt prepared by emulsion polymerization pathway than that of the salt prepared by solution polymerization pathway.

Graphene-wrapped polyaniline hollow spheres as novel hybrid electrode materials for supercapacitor applications

Polyaniline hollow spheres (PANI-HS)@electrochemical reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) hybrids with core-shell structures have been fabricated via a solution-based coassembly process. The hollow nanostructured designing for the PANI-HS greatly enlarges the specific surface area, providing high electroactive regions and short diffusion lengths for both charge and ion transport. The wrapping of ERGO sheets on the PANI-HS can offer highly conductive pathways by bridging individual PANI-HS together, thus facilitating the rate and cycling performance of supercapacitors. The specific capacitance of PANI-HS36@ERGO hybrids can reach 614 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1). Furthermore, the capacitance of the PANI-HS36@ERGO hybrids maintains 90% after 500 charging/discharging cycles at a current density of 1 A g(-1), indicating a good cycling stability. The greatly enhanced electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the synergic effects of the two components of PANI-HS and ERGO, suggesting that the PANI-HS@ERGO hybrids as novel electrode materials may have potential applications in high-performance energy storage devices.

Intercalative poly(carbazole) precursor electropolymerization within hybrid nanostructured titanium oxide ultrathin films

A protocol for nanostructuring and electropolymerization of a hybrid semiconductor polycarbazole-titanium oxide ultrathin film is described. Ultrathin (<100 nm) films based on polycarbazole precursor polyelectrolytes and titanium oxide (TiOx) have been fabricated by combining the layer-by-layer (LbL) and surface sol-gel layering techniques. Film growth was followed and confirmed through UV-vis spectroscopy, ellipsometry and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). Subsequent anodic electrochemical oxidation of the carbazole pendant units afforded a conjugated polymer network (CPN) film within intercalating TiOx layers of cross-linked and π-conjugated carbazole units. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), UV-vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy measurements confirmed this process. The LbL-driven polyelectrolyte deposition process resulted in a quantified electrochemical response, proportional to the number of layers, while the TiOx acted as a dielectric spacer limiting electron transfer kinetics and attenuating energy transfer in fluorescence. Electro-optical properties were compared with other polycarbazole thin film materials with respect to bandgap energy (Eg). The straightforward protocol in film nanostructuring and barrier/dielectric properties of the inorganic oxide slab (denoted here as, TiOx) should enable applications in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), dielectric mirrors, planar waveguides, and photovoltaic devices for these hybrid ultrathin films.

Polycarbazole nanocomposites with conducting metal oxides for transparent electrode applications

The preparation and characterization of conducting polycarbazole (PCz) hybrid films with a colorless transparency are described. They were prepared by the vacuum evaporation of tin, aluminum, or gallium onto anion-doped green-colored PCz films, or by applying gallium to the films, followed by their exposure to ambient air. The resultant hybrid films consisting of an undoped PCz backbone and metal compounds exhibited good transparencies (90-95% at a wavelength of 550 nm). The hybrid films have a specific cross-sectional structure in which the small regions of the metal compounds are dispersed in the PCz backbone. The hybridization reaction was mechanistically explained on the basis of the combination of a metal corrosion reaction and polymer dedoping reaction, which was successfully supported by the chemical analyses of the hybrid films. The electric conductivities of the hybrid films, measured by a four-point-probe method, ranged from 2.2 x 10(-4) to 6.0 x 10(-3) S cm(-1), which are considered to be the lowest limit because the use of the hybrid films as an electrochemical electrode reveals that a network of conductive paths is preferentially formed in the film thickness direction rather than in the in-plane direction.

Electrochemically Deposited Organic Luminescent Films: The Effects of Deposition Parameters on Morphologies and Luminescent Efficiency of Films

The electropolymerization behaviors of an electroactive and luminescent compound TCPC as precursor are studied. The resultant electrochemical deposition (ED) films are characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), UV-vis, fluorescence spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Under the CV mode with potential range of -0.5 to 0.85 V vs Ag/Ag(+), the coupling reactions between the carbazole units of TCPC are very efficient, while the fluorescent trifluorene segment in TCPC is chemically inert in this potential range, which results in a highly fluorescent film formation on indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode. The deposition parameters for preparing the TCPC-based ED films are optimized, and the best ED film gives the fluorescence efficiency of 45.5% with surface roughness of 2.8 nm and morphologic stability as heating to 180 degrees C. The light-emitting devices (LEDs) using this ED film as light emitting layer with structure ITO/ED film (approximately 100 nm)/Ba/Al achieve maximum luminescence and external quantum efficiency of 4224 cd/m(2) at 17 V and 0.72% at 11.5 V, respectively, which are better than the device using TCPC spin-coating films as emitting layer. The technique provides a facile route toward a patternable luminescent film and device because such luminescent ED films can be manipulatively deposited on the electrified electrode.

Highly luminescent network films from electrochemical deposition of peripheral carbazole functionalized fluorene oligomer and their applications for light-emitting diodes

Highly luminescent network films on flat indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates are prepared by electropolymerization using an electroactive and fluorescent compound as precursor; the LEDs prepared using these films as a light emitting layer achieve the maximum luminance and external quantum efficiency of 4224 cd/m(2) and 0.72%, respectively, which demonstrates that electrochemical synthesis can be a new route to construct the highly luminescent films.