Reflective and conductive star polymers

• US 6,025,462 A
• Filed: 03/03/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EIC Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EIC Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Fei, Rauh, R. David
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Duc
• Application Number:
  US09/033,882
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 528/377, 528/378, 528/373, 528/422, 252/500
• US Class Current: 528/377
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2261/312 Non-condensed aromatic systems, e.g. benzene
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 61/02 Macromolecular compounds containing only carbon atoms in the main chain of the macromolecule, e.g. polyxylylenes
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 61/126 with a five-membered ring containing one sulfur atom in the ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 83/002 Dendritic macromolecules
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 83/005 Hyperbranched macromolecules
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 65/00 Compositions of macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming a carbon-to-carbon link in the main chain C08L7/00 - C08L57/00, C08L61/00 take precedence; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 65/02 Polyphenylenes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/10 Organic polymers or oligomers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/111 comprising aromatic, heteroaromatic, or aryl chains, e.g. polyaniline, polyphenylene or polyphenylene vinylene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/113 Heteroaromatic compounds comprising sulfur or selene, e.g. polythiophene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/791 Starburst compounds

Abstract

Conductive polymers having a star structure comprising a central core with multiple attachment sites and conjugated charge transporting arms radiating therefrom. The cores are derived from hyperbranched polymers, dendrimers, or other molecules with a multiplicity of attachment sites. The arms are derived from conjugated oligomers and polymers such as polythiophene, polyaniline or polyphenylene. The subject polymers allow assembly of the macromolecules in all three dimensions in the solid state. A ramification of the compact assembly is the realization of highly reflective, smooth coatings simply applied from solution. A preferred embodiment having a 1,3,5 hyperbranched polyphenylene core and poly (3-hexylthiophene) arms provides lustrous reflective gold coatings.

Claims

1. An electrically conductive polymer comprising a) a hyperbranched polymer core structure providing a multiplicity of attachment points and b) nonbranching conjugated backbone chains radiating from the attachment points in three dimensions

said polymers exhibiting improved properties chosen from the properties group of lower melting temperature, higher electrical conductivity and lower surface roughness compared to polymers comprising the conjugated backbone chains alone.

2. The polymers of claim 1 wherein the core structure providing a multiplicity of branching points is a 1,3,5 hyperbranched polyphenylene and said conjugated backbone chain is chosen from the group of conjugated chains consisting of polythiophene and oligothiophene chains.

3. The polymers of claim 2 wherein the thiophene chains are substituted in the 3-position with alkyl groups.

4. The polymers of claim 3 wherein the alkyl groups are hexyl.

5. The polymers of claim 1 wherein the conjugated structural units are regioregular.

6. A coating made of the electrically conductive polymer of claim 1 with a specular reflectance at its wavelength maximum exceeding 0.1.

7. The coating of claim 6 prepared by solution casting.

8. The electrically conductive polymers of claim 1 doped by treatment with an oxidizing or reducing agent and further incorporating a source of charge compensating ions.

9. The electrically conductive polymers of claim 1 doped electrochemically and further incorporating a source of charge compensating ions.

10. The polymers of claim 1 wherein the conjugated backbone chains are made from polyaniline or polyaniline derivatives.

11. The polymers of claim 10 doped by treatment with an acid.

12. The polymers of claim 11 wherein the conjugated backbone chains are made from polyphenylene or substituted polyphenylene.

13. The polymers of claim 12 wherein the substituents are hexyloxy.

14. An electrically conductive polymer comprising a) a dendrimer core structure providing a multiplicity of attachment points and b) nonbranching conjugated backbone chains radiating from the attachment points in three dimensions

said polymers exhibiting improved properties chosen from the properties group of lower melting temperature, higher electrical conductivity and lower surface roughness compared to polymers comprising the conjugated backbone chains alone.

15. An electrically conductive polymer comprising a) a fullerene core structure providing a multiplicity of attachment points and b) nonbranching conjugated backbone chains radiating from the attachment points in three dimensions

said polymers exhibiting improved properties chosen from the properties group of lower melting temperature, higher electrical conductivity and lower surface roughness compared to polymers comprising the conjugated backbone chains alone.