Layer-by-layer assembled films of a rigid poly(phenyl-ethynylene) and alternate poly(phenyl-ethynylene)/poly(aniline)

Anew main chain segmented rigid rod-like polymer, poly[2,5-dodecyloxy-1,4-bis(ethylene glycol benzoate)ethynylene], hereafter called pPEG2 has been synthesized by a palladium catalyzed polycondensation. The interactions within the pPEG2 molecules are strong enough to Give self-assembled multilayers (SAM), (pPEG2/pPEG2)(m) from diluted solutions. The films show emission in the green region at 512 nm. pPEG2 alternated with enzymatically synthesized poly(aniline) (PANi) as polycation provides supramolecular layered assemblies (pPEG2/PANi)(n), which will be of great interest for the future realization of light emitting diodes (LEDs) or biological detectors. The thickness of the films can be controlled by the number of absorbed layers as stated by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The morphology of (pPEG2/pPEG2)(m) assemblies, analyzed by AFM, consists of columnar domains coexisting with fine and homogenously distributed needles, while for the alternated (pPEG2/PANi)(n) assemblies. the SAM are rather of granular type. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.