Formation and Electrochemistry of Polyfluorene in Ambient Temperature Ionic Liquids

Polyfluorene films were deposited on platinum, tungsten, and glassy carbon electrodes by the anodic oxidation of the monomer in ambient temperature molten salts consisting of a mixture of aluminum chloride and 1‐methyl‐3‐ethylimidazolium chloride. The polymer films are conductive in the oxidized state and nonconductive when reduced. The collection efficiency measured by rotating ring‐disk voltammetry in neutral melts suggests that two protons per monomer are released during the polymerization process for both polyfluorene and polypyrrole formation. The polyfluorene films obtained in these molten salts are more stable and their electrochemical behavior less complicated than those prepared in acetonitrile.