Development of the Synthesis of Thiophene and Thiazole Based Conjugated Polymers Through Direct Arylation and The Separation of Carbon Nanotubes Using Degradable Conjugated Polymers

Abstract

Conjugated polymers are an ever-growing field due to their ability to be used for a variety of purposes such as photovoltaics, field-effect transistors, light emitting diodes, and organic sensors. To further this field, research must constantly be performed to develop novel methods of synthesis and test a variety of substrates to determine potential applications. Of particular interest is direct-arylation polymerization which allows for the synthesis of conductive polymers without the production of quantitative amounts of metal-halogen waste. Firstly, one of the primary drawbacks of direct arylation polymerization is the potential for defects during polymerization. This is due to the low difference in energy required to react with protons on the substrate. The solution proposed is to develop a catalyst system that alleviates this issue while maintaining good yields, high molecular weights, and low catalyst loadings. Secondly, although it has been reported on for over two decades, the amount of research done on bithiazole polymers is relatively low when considering their unique properties. In this work, a facile method was developed to generate a variety of bithiazole based polymers. These polymers displayed a wide variety of electrical properties while eliminating some of the issues seen in more common conductive polymers. Finally, a novel application was investigated for conjugated polymers: the separation of carbon nanotubes. Through the use of degradable conductive polymers, a method was developed to separate and isolate desired types of carbon nanotubes. This would allow for much simpler and cheaper access to one of the most desirable materials in materials science.