Electrical and mechanical properties of poly(p-phenylene) films prepared by electrochemical polymerisation

The poly(p-phenylene) films were electrochemically synthesized by anodic oxidation of benzene on a stainless steel electrode in borontrifluoride diethyl etherate as a solvent. It was found that a rise in the polymerization potential and/or temperature increased the polymerization rate, solvent remained in the film, and Young's modulus, while the degree of polymerization, electrical conductivity, tensile strength, and elongation at break decreased. The degree of polymerization and electrical conductivity respectively attained 25 and 1.7 S cm−1 for the film polymerized at −15 °C under 1.55 V vs. SCE.