Formation of a Perylenetetracarboxylic Diimide Network Film by Post Electrochemical Treatment

• Published in: Langmuir 2006-10, Vol.22 (22), p.9431-9435
• Main Authors: Kim, Suk-ho, Ko, Heung Cho, Moon, Bongjin, Lee, Hoosung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; Electrochemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Imides - chemistry; Microscopy, Atomic Force; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Molecular Structure; Perylene - analogs & derivatives; Perylene - chemistry; Spectrum Analysis
• ISSN: 0743-7463; 1520-5827
• DOI: 10.1021/la061295i

Perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PDI) derivatives bearing two or four peripheral pyrrole pendants (PDI-nPy, n = 2 or 4) are cross-linkable materials by electro/phototreatment. In this paper, we introduce a new posttreatment technique to produce an insoluble film. Unlike the common solution-phase electrochemical deposition, we first spin-coated PDI-nPy on an electrode and then electrotreated the coated surface in a monomer-free electrolyte solution. This method gives the film a smooth surface with no granules, while the common method induces a rough film with a lot of granules. The post electrochemical treatment also provides a merit of higher resolution in a patterning process on a specific metal electrode. As one of the applications, we carried out an electrochromic study on the posttreated PDI-4Py film. It turned purple (λmax = 590 nm) and sky blue (λmax = 797 nm) at 0 and −1.9 V vs Ag/Ag+, respectively. We believe this method will broaden the patterning concept with the desired film morphology and resolution using PDI on a specific electrode.