Processible Conductive Resin for High Temperature Applications

The ideal polymer resin for space applications requiring electrical conductivity would combine high conductivity with good mechanical strength, environmental stability, and low processing requirements. There are no polymers available which combine all of these desired properties. The proposed research addresses these challenges by development a new class of branched conducting polymers which have a star structure with arms of linear conductive polymers attached to a dendritic core. Examples of the polymers with polythiophene and polyphenylene arms will be synthesized and their structure characterized. The dendritic structure should provide enhanced processibility to the normally intractable conductive polymers while the high molecular weight of the star polymer will give it better mechanical properties. A high isotropic conductivity is expected from the improved structural regularity of the bulk material arising from the three-dimensional interpenetrating arms which enhances the intermolecular charge transfer. The polymer composed entirely of phenyl units will have high thermal stability. The combination of electrical conductivity and compact structure may also give these new polymers improved thermal conductivity compared to conventional polymers will be characterized and correlated with the polymer's structure and composition.