Electrochemical synthesis and processing of conducting polymers in supercritical media

Abstract

The present invention deals with the electrochemical synthesis of electrically conductive polymers in supercritical fluids, for example supercritical CO2. The use of the supercritical fluid as a solvent results in the reduction or elimination of hazardous reagents and environmentally hazardous waste, which was generated in the prior chemical synthesis techniques. The electrochemical approach eliminates the need to add a charge transfer agent as the electrode serves this purpose. The resulting polymers are characterized by high conductivities and distinctive surface morphology, which suggests that they may be more appropriate than the previous materials for certain applications (e.g., corrosion inhibition, optical applications, etc.).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.