Charge transfer interaction and electrical conductivity of poly(vinyl acetals) containing dispersed TCNQ radical anion salts

Abstract

AbstractCharge transfer (CT) interaction is described in semiconducting dispersions of TCNQ complex salt \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm Et}_3 {\rm NH}^+ ({\rm TCNQ})_2^{\cdot^{\hskip-3.7pt\hbox{--}}}$\end{document} with and without added TCNQ°, in poly(vinyl acetal) matrices in which the electron‐donor moiety is varied. The extent of CT interaction was determined in films and in solution (DMF, acetonitrile, or methylene chloride) through the absorbances at 398 nm (\documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm TCNQ}{\ }^{\cdot^{\hskip-3.7pt\hbox{--}}}$\end{document} and TCNQ°) and 857 nm \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ {\rm TCNQ}{\ }^{\cdot^{\hskip-3.7pt\hbox{--}}}$\end{document}. Resistivity of the conductive films was related to the stoichiometry of TCNQ species in the films and found to have a minimum at \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$[{\rm TCNQ}^\circ]/[{\rm TCNQ}{\ }^{\cdot^{\hskip-3.7pt\hbox{--}}}]\simeq 1$\end{document}. Lower resistivities were attained with films having a uniform, densely packed dispersion of microcrystallites which were obtained at a relatively slow solvent removal rate. With this particular complex salt, strong electron‐donor polymers are found to be better matrices for semiconductivity.