A pyrolysis mass spectrometry study of polythiophene copolymers

The thermal behaviour of copolymers of thiophene with decanedioic acid bis-(2-thiophen-3-yl-ethyl)ester (DATE) and terephthalic acid bis-(2-thiophen-3-yl-ethyl)ester (TATE) prepared by potentiostatic polymerization was studied via pyrolysis mass spectrometry. It was determined that the electrolytic films correspond to the related homopolymers. The increase in thermal stability of ester linkages, and evolution of characteristic degradation products of TATE and DATE together with thiophene based products above 400 °C confirmed copolymer formation.