Electrically conducting water-soluble self-doping polyaniline polymers and the aqueous solutions thereof

• US 5,863,981 A
• Filed: 03/23/1995
• Issued: 01/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Heeger, Alan, Wudl, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): HENDERSON JR, CHRISTOPHER A
• Application Number:
  US08/409,509
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 524/599, 524/608, 524/609, 524/612, 528/288, 528/391, 528/399, 528/422
• US Class Current: 524/609
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 61/126 with a five-membered ring containing one sulfur atom in the ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 73/00 Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming a linkage containing nitrogen with or without oxygen or carbon in the main chain of the macromolecule, not provided for in groups C08G12/00 - C08G71/00 polycarbodiimides prepared from isocyanates C08G18/025, C08G18/797
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/122 Ionic conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/127 comprising five-membered aromatic rings in the main chain, e.g. polypyrroles, polythiophenes

Abstract

A self-doped conducting polymer having along its backbone a π-electron conjugated system which comprises a plurality of monomer units, between about 0.01 and 100 mole % of the units having covalently linked thereto at least one Bronsted acid group. The conductive zwitterionic polymer is also provided, as are monomers useful in the preparation of the polymer and electrodes comprising the polymer.

Claims

1. A conducting water-soluble, self-doped polymer having along its backbone a II-electrone conjugated system which comprises about 100 to 500 monomer units, wherein about 0.01 and 100 mole % of the units have the following chemical formula ##STR15## wherein Y₂ and Y₃ are hydrogen, and Y₄ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and --R_n --X--M, wherein R is a direct bond when n is 0,

X is SO₃ ;

M is selected from H, Na, K, or Li; and

n is 0, wherein said polymer is conductive without added external dopant when the moiety M is removed.

2. The polymer of claim 1, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of H, Na, Li or K, and Y₄ is hydrogen.

3. The polymer of claim 2 wherein M is Na.

4. The polymer of claim 1, wherein M is H.

5. The polymer of claim 1, wherein M is Na.

6. The polymer of claim 1 wherein M is Li.

7. The polymer of claim 1, wherein M is K.

8. An aqueous solution useful for casting conducting polymeric films, which solution comprises:

(a) a water-soluble self-doped polymer comprising about 100 to 500 monomer units, wherein about 0.01 to 100 mole % of the monomer units have the chemical formula ##STR16## wherein Y₂ and Y₃ are hydrogen and Y₄ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and --R_n --X--M wherein R is a direct bond when n is 0, X is SO₃, M is H, Na, K, or Li, and n is 0, wherein said polymer is conductive without added external dopant when the moiety M is removed; and

(b) an amount of water at least sufficient to dissolve the polymer of part (a).

9. The aqueous solution of claim 8, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of H, Na, Li or K, and Y₄, is hydrogen.

10. The aqueous solution of claim 9, wherein M is Na.

11. The aqueous solution of claim 8, wherein M is Na.

12. The aqueous solution of claim 8, wherein M is K.

13. The aqueous solution of claim 8, wherein M is H.

14. The aqueous solution of claim 8, wherein M is Li.