MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL-PROPERTIES OF POLY-(2,5-THIENYLENE VINYLENE) FIBERS

Poly(2,5-thienylene vinylene) (PTV) fibers were prepared from a precursor polymer that is soluble in organic solvents. Fibers of the precursor polymer, poly[2,5-thienylene(1-methoxyethylene)], were wet spun from chloroform solutions. Tensile drawing and conversion (to the conjugated polymer) of the precursor polymer fibers were carried out with a continuous drawing system. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction patterns indicated a significant degree of molecular orientation of the drawn fibers. Tensile drawing and the associated extension and orientation of PTV resulted in major improvements in the mechanical properties of the pristine polymer fibers and the electrical conductivity (after doping with iodine). A linear correlation was found between the electrical conductivity and the modulus and tensile strength. © 1990.