Electrochemical synthesis and spectroelectrochemical behavior of poly(diphenylamine-co-4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone)

Abstract

The electroactive copolymer of diphenylamine (DPA) and 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DADPS) was synthesized electrochemically in 4 M H 2SO 4 and ethanol medium. Both electrochemical synthesis and characterization of the copolymer deposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) were carried out using cyclic voltammetry. The voltammograms exhibited different patterns of behavior with different feed concentrations of DPA. Equimolar concentrations of DPA and DADPS demonstrated very efficient growth of the copolymer film on the surface of the GCE. The copolymer exhibited high solubility in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The scan rate exerted little-effect on this GCE copolymer film, revealing the film's excellent electroactive adherent properties. The effect of pH on the copolymer film showed that the polymer was electrochemically active up to pH 7.0. Spectroelectrochemical analysis of the copolymer film, carried out on an indium tin oxide (ITO) plate, showed multicolor electrochromic behavior when the applied potential was changed. The copolymer was characterized by FTIR and 1H NMR spectral data. The surface morphology was studied using SEM analysis, the grain size of the copolymer was measured using XRD studies and was found to be 56 nm. The electrical conductivity of the copolymer was 2.65 × 10 −2 S cm −1, as determined using a four-probe conductivity meter.