Optical probes of ion transport in electrochemical processes based on in situ derivatization; application to polypyrrole and polythiophene thin films

Abstract

Dopant ion fluxes during the electrochemical reduction of polypyrrole perchlorate and polythiophene tetrafluoroborate thin films were measured at parts per billion senstivity, and the polymer doping levels assayed via derivatization with 2,6-di-p-tolyl-4-phenylpyrylium reagent followed by extraction of the ion pair complex into chlorobenzene, and its detection by spectrofluorimetry.