Interfacial synthesis of long polyindole fibers

Abstract

Abstract Polyindole fibers upto a length of 1000 μm and ∼ 25 μm in diameter have been reproducibly synthesized by interfacial polymerization, which was performed at a stationary interface of aqueous (FeCl 3 solution)/organic (indole in dichloromethane) biphasic system. On the other hand, disturbing the aqueous/organic interface by constant stirring of solution—termed as bulk polymerization—resulted in globular (average size ∼ 2 μm) polyindole. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that polymerization takes place at carbon atoms located at positions 2 and 3 in indole monomer, and this has explained origin of different polyindole morphology obtained in interfacial and bulk polymerization. Cyclic voltammograms recorded as a function of scan rate indicated a high electroactivity of the synthesized polyindole. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 595–599, 2007