Preparation of Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) in a Chiral Nematic Liquid-Crystal Field

Summary: The 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) monomer in a chiral nematic liquid-crystal electrolyte was polymerized by application of a voltage to yield a thin film. Circular dichroism measurements indicated a Cotton effect for the film. Optical texture suggests that the polymer shows a finger-print texture and a spiral texture similar to that of the chiral nematic phase. This simple method provides a new technique for preparing chiral conducting films in a thermotropic chiral liquid-crystal field.