Preparation and Characterization of Thin Polycarbonate Films for Vapor Sensors

Thin films made from polymers have many potential applications in the area of sensors. A thorough analysis of the properties of such films will reveal ways to apply them most effectively. The main goal of this project is to characterize thin films made from bis(ethylenedioxy-)tetrahiafulvalene (BEDO-TIF) dye- with bisphenol polycarbonate. Polycarbonate will be purified by solution precipitation, dried and ground into powder. This powder will be mixed with a solution of the dye in dichloromethane. Films will be cast for testing. Structure-property relations will be determined, using differential scanning calorimetry and UV/Visible spectroscopy and 4 point probe analysis