Manipulating Size and Increasing Conductivity of Cyclic Polyacetylene

Yu-Hsuan Shen, Rinku Yadav, Alexander Wong, Brent Sumerlin, Adam Veige

University of Florida

Cyclic polymers have been attracting significant attention due to their unique properties that distinguish them from linear polymers. These properties include higher densities, greater conductivity, smaller hydrodynamic volumes, and higher glass transition temperatures. However, the preparation of cyclic polymers is challenging, which limits their utilization in various applications.

In this study, cyclic polyacetylene films with varying thickness were produced, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was utilized to stretch and align the polymers. The results showed an impressive 80% increase in length and a significant increase in conductivity, from 398 to 1543 Ω-1cm-1. This study suggests that stretching and alignment techniques can enhance the electrical conductivity of cyclic polyacetylene films significantly. Moreover, this study successfully controlled the growth of nanoscale cyclic polyacetylene fibrils using different reaction times and diluting the catalyst solution. The growth of these fibrils was observed under TEM, and the ability to controllably produce them has significant implications for the development of innovative conductive materials. Overall, this research offers new insights into the production and manipulation of cyclic polyacetylene films and fibrils. The study's findings could significantly contribute to the development of innovative conductive materials, as cyclic polymers possess unique properties that make them promising for various applications.