Molecular level ordering of polypyrrole from the polymerization of two-monomer-connected precursors

Abstract

Highly crystalline polymers have received considerable interest for the practical use of polymers in state-of-the-art devices. However, the design for well-ordered polymers is a challenging objective due to their chain entanglements. Many approaches have been attempted to control the crystallinity of polymers using various processing methods, however the difficulty is encountered yet due to the intrinsically morphological properties. To overcome this limitation, we have produced molecular level ordered polypyrrole (PPy) from the polymerization of two-monomer-connected precursors (TMCPs), where two pyrroles are linked through disulfonic acid connectors. The simultaneous growth of the TMCPs resulted in highly crystalline structures with close-packed molecular crystals, as confirmed by high-voltage electron microscopy. The electrical conductivity of the TMCP-based PPy is almost 35 times that of non-connected PPy, showing its promise for an application in diverse fields.