Miyaura Kenshi, Miyata Yasumitsu, Thendie Boanerges, Yanagi Kazuhiro, Kitaura Ryo, Yamamoto Yuta, Arai Shigeo, Kataura Hiromichi, Shinohara Hisanori
Department of Chemistry & Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464-8602, Japan.
Department of Physics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, 192-0397, Japan.
Sci Rep. 2018 May 25;8(1):8098. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-26379-4.
Extending π-electron systems are among the most important topics in physics, chemistry and materials science because they can result in functional materials with applications in electronics and optics. Conventional processes for π-electron extension, however, can generate products exhibiting chemical instability, poor solubility or disordered structures. Herein, we report a novel strategy for the synthesis of π-conjugated polymers within the interiors of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In this process, thiophene-based oligomers are encapsulated within CNTs as precursors and are subsequently polymerized by thermal annealing. This polymerization increases the effective conjugation length of the thiophenes, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and absorption peak red shifts. This work also demonstrates that these polythiophenes can serve as effective markers for individual CNTs during Raman imaging with single-wavelength laser excitation due to their strong absorbance. In addition, stable carrier injection into the encapsulated polythiophenes is found to be possible via electrochemical doping. Such doping has the potential to produce π-electron-based one-dimensional conductive wires and highly stable electrochromic devices.
扩展π电子体系是物理、化学和材料科学中最重要的课题之一，因为它们能产生可应用于电子学和光学领域的功能材料。然而，传统的π电子扩展过程会生成化学稳定性差、溶解性不佳或结构无序的产物。在此，我们报道了一种在碳纳米管（CNT）内部合成π共轭聚合物的新策略。在这个过程中，基于噻吩的低聚物作为前体被封装在碳纳米管内，随后通过热退火进行聚合。如透射电子显微镜和吸收峰红移所证实的，这种聚合增加了噻吩的有效共轭长度。这项工作还表明，由于其强吸收性，这些聚噻吩在单波长激光激发的拉曼成像过程中可作为单个碳纳米管的有效标记物。此外，发现通过电化学掺杂可将稳定的载流子注入到封装的聚噻吩中。这种掺杂有潜力生产基于π电子的一维导线和高度稳定的电致变色器件。
