COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF ACRYLONITRILE, 2-BUTENENITRILE, 3-BUTENENITRILE, AND 2-METHYL-2-PROPENENITRILE ELECTROPOLYMERIZATION ON A NICKEL CATHODE

Attempts to obtain polymer films by cathodic polarization of a nickel electrode in the presence of acrylonitrile, 2-butenenitrile, 3-butenenitrile, and 2-methyl-2-propenenitrile are reported. Surface characterizations are carried out through the combined use of UPS, XPS, and IRRAS. Acrylonitrile and 2-methyl-2-propenenitrile lead to adherent and homogeneously covering films, while the other molecules do not lead to acceptable surface modifications. Correlation of the observed differences with ab initio calculations of electronic properties (equilibrium geometry, charges, dipole moment, polarizability, HOMO and LUMO energies) of the isolated molecules are reported.