Polyacetylene chemical sensors

Conjugated polymers are powerfiil fluorescent materials, which makes them suitable for applications as chemical sensors. Chart 13.1 presents the structures of some typical polymers that are applicable for the detection of analytes at low concentrations. These polymers include poly(p-phenylene ethynylene), PPE poly(p-phenylene vinylene), PPV polyacetylene and polyfluorene. Those polymers bearing ionizable pendant groups are water-soluble polyelectrolytes. 

K-Conjugated polymers and oligomers are organic materials with many interesting and useful properties [1, 2], Examples of this class of materials include polyacetylene, polythiophene, polypyrrole, poly(phenylenevinylene) and their derivatives. Electronic conductivity, luminescence and nonlinear optical behavior are all observed in these materials and these properties have been exploited in applications such as electroluminescent devices (polymer light-emitting devices or PLEDs), electrostatic coatings, electrochromic windows, chemical sensors and memory devices [3-9]. 

This report describes some of the recent work on the electrochemical and electrode applications of polymers which are electroactive and can be switched to an electrically conductive state, as well as the inherently conductive (SN. The materials fall into two general categories. There are the polymer tllms which can be prepared in situ by the electrochemical polymerization of aromatic compounds, and there are the polyenes such as polyacetylene and polythiazyl. Many of the electrode applications being considered are based on the. electroactive/conductive properties of the films such as display devices, and storage batteries. Some applications make use of the conductive property of the materials such as protective coatings against corrosion, and other applications make use of the possibility for molecular selectivity such as chemically selective electrodes and sensors. 

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