Design and synthesis of new polymeric materials for organic nonvolatile electrical bistable storage devices: Poly(biphenylmethylene)s

The synthesis of new polymers, poly(biphenylmethylene)s, derived from bistriflates of bisphenol-type monomers, by Ni(0)-mediated polymerization has been presented. These polymers are interesting because of the nature of the polymer backbone that contains biphenyl units separated by substituted methylene units. The solubility, mechanical properties, and electrical properties of the polymers can be altered by proper selection of the methylene substituents. Polymers and oligomers had molecular weights ranging from 2000 to 15 000 g/mol, as measured by calibrated gel permeation chromatography (GPC), though light scattering and MALDI studies indicate that GPC tends to underestimate the molecular weights of these polymers. The polymers have Tg's between 230 and 300 °C and have thermal stabilities ranging from 400 to 493 °C. Thermally cross-linkable, 4-phenylethenyl end-capped oligomers were synthesized and fabricated into thin-film electronic devices, and preliminary results on their characterization are discussed. The unique structure of the polymer backbone makes these materials potentially interesting in electrical applications where large-band-gap polymers with good electron/hole mobility and good thermal and oxidative stability are required. © 2005 American Chemical Society.