Elsevier

Synthetic Metals

Volume 28, Issues 1–2, 30 January 1989, Pages 377-384
Synthetic Metals

Polyheterocycles
Thermochromism in thin films of poly(3-alkylthiophenes)

https://doi.org/10.1016/0379-6779(89)90549-3Get rights and content

Abstract

We report spectroscopic studies fo the thermochromic effect in poly(3-alkylthiophenes). Thin solid films of poly(3-butylthiophene), poly(3-hexylthiophene), poly(3-octylthiophene) and poly(3-decylthiophene) undergo a reversible color transition when going from low to high temperature. The optical absorption shifts to higher photon energies with higher temperature. The transition, which occurs over a broad temperature range, occurs at lower temperatures for polymers of longer alkyl side chains. The colour change can be interpreted assuming a change of polymer conformation from a rigid rod geometry at low temperatures to a random coil conformation at higher temperatures. We discuss the physics of this transition.

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