PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS

摘要

A conductive polymer which is highly transparent to visible light in at least one of its conductive and non-conductive states is prepared by electrochemically polymerizing a monomer component comprising at least one monomer in an electrochemical cell having at least an anode and a cathode. The method comprises introducing into the cell a solution containing the monomer component and an electrolyte, maintaining the solution at a temperature within a range of from 0 to -40 DEG C inclusive, and repeatedly cycling an electrode potential applied to the cell between cathodic and anodic limits one of which (A) is fixed and the other of which (B) is set at a value at which anodic or cathodic polymerization takes place, thereby to effect the electrochemical polymerization. The method comprises the additional steps, prior to the polymerization, of i) repeatedly cycling an electrode potential applied to the cell between cathodic and anodic limits one of which (A) is fixed and the other of which (B) is set at a value having a magnitude below that at which anodic or cathodic polymerization may take place, ii) holding each of the limits (A) and (B) at their respective fixed and set values and simultaneously monitoring a trace of current/voltage until the trace becomes stable, and thereafter iii) progressively increasing the value of the limit (B) until the said value reaches a critical potential having a magnitude at which anodic or cathodic polymerization is initiated.