Characterization of conducting copolymer of thiophene via pyrolysis mass spectrometry

In this work, structural and thermal characterization of a conducting copolymer of thiophene (PTh) with 2-methylbutyl-2-(3-thienyl)acetate prepared by two different methods has been performed by pyrolysis mass spectrometry techniques. The pyrolysis mass spectrometry data of both components of the copolymer, polythiophene, PTh, poly(2-methylbutyl-2-(3-thienyl)acetate), PMBTA and PTh/PMBTA have been analyzed and compared. It has been determined that when the electrochemical polymerization of thiophene was achieved on PMBTA coated anode through the thiophene moieties of PMBTA, characteristics of both PTh and PMBTA were retained to a certin extent. However, when thiophene was polymerized in the presence of MBTA, a polymer film with lower conductivity, but more uniform structure, was produced