PREPARATION, STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION, THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL STUDIES OF COBALT CHLORIDE AND ZINC-CHLORIDE COMPOUNDS OF POLY(2-VINYLPYRIDINE)

The reaction of poly(2-vinylpyridine) with cobalt chloride and zinc chloride produced compounds of stoichiometry [Co(2-Vpy)2.5(H2O)Cl2]n and [Zn(2-Vpy)2.5Cl2]n. In the cobalt compound, the cobalt ion was found to exist in both octahedral and tetrahedral environments, while in the zinc compound the zinc ion was observed to be in a tetrahedral environment. Poly(2-vinylpyridine) and its metal polymers have been further characterised by gel permeation chromatography, differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry. The room temperature electrical conductivities of these polymers lie in the range 6.07 x 10(-8)-1.12 X 10(-7) OMEGA-1 m-1 and they show ohmic conductivity.