Characterization of Conducting Copolymers of Succinic Acid Bis‐(‐4‐pyrrol‐1‐yl‐phenyl) Ester and Thiophene via Pyrolysis Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

In this work, a direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry technique was applied to characterize a conducting copolymer of succinic acid bis‐(4‐pyrrol‐1‐yl‐phenyl) ester (SM) and thiophene prepared by electrochemical polymerization. Thermal degradation behavior of both components was quite similar to those of the corresponding homopolymers, PSM, and polythiophene PTh. Yet, detection of oligomers and mixed dimers of both monomers in the high temperature pyrolysis mass spectra confirmed the formation of a copolymer. Furthermore, evolution of SM monomer in the temperature range where the fragments, due to the thermal degradation of PTh chains, have been detected. Also, the generation of dimer of thiophene in the temperature range, where the fragments associated with PSM have been observed, pointed out the presence of thiophene and SM units along the PTh and PSM chains. However, as thermal stabilities of PTh and PSM chains were nearly identical to the corresponding homopolymers, it may be concluded that the presence of other monomer or low molecular weight oligomers along the chains of each component did not significantly affect the thermal characteristics.