Crystal Surface/Liquid Crystal Interfacial Polymerisation: Preparation of Helical π-Conjugated Polymer on Mineral Crystal

Abstract

Crystal surface/liquid crystal interfacial polymerisation was developed. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT, EDOT = ethylene dioxythiophene) and poly(EDOT-fluorene-EDOT) were prepared in a cholesteric liquid crystal electrolyte solution on the surface of pyrite. Polymerisation in liquid crystal produces polymers showing fingerprint structure through transcription of molecular aggregation in the polymerisation process. Surface structures of the polymers were observed with circular polarised differential interference contrast microscopy (C-DIM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The polymerisation reaction proceeds interface between liquid crystal and pyrite surface. The polymers thus prepared in liquid crystal on the pyrite shows fingerprint structure on steps structure of pyrite. This is a first report of liquid crystal interfacial electrochemical polymerisation on a natural mineral crystal.