Conducting polymers at electrode surfaces as studied by in situ ESR/UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy

摘要

Conducting polymers can form both polarons and bipolarons in redox reactions at electrodes surfaces. Both of these species can be studied by UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. To follow the polaron by the in situ ESR spectroscopic technique and the bipolaron formation by the UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy in electrochemical studies a special equipment is required. For this purpose an optical ESR cavity is applied to do transmission spectroscopy at optically transparent electrodes in an ESR spectrometer. The advantages of the in situ ESR/UV-Vis-NIR spectroelectrochemical measurements is presented in the study of different polymeric structures like polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyaniline and oligothiophenes.