Synthesis and properties of poly(4-vinylpyridine-co-styrene) with pendant azobenzonitrile moieties.

A new ionic polymer, poly(4-vinylpyridine-co-styrene) [PVPS] with pendant azobenzonitrile moieties was prepared by the polymeric reaction of PVPS and 4-[4-(8-bromooctyloxy)phenylazo]benzonitrile. The polymer structure was characterized by various instrumental methods to have a PVPS backbone system with the designed azobenzonitrile moieties. The electrochemical and electro-optical properties were studied. The polymer showed two oxidation and reduction response properties in a polymer unit and two electrochemical processes were included in the irreversible redox steps. The plot of the oxidation current density of polymer versus the scan rate showed approximately a linear relationship in the range of 30 mV/sec 150 mV/sec. The exponent of scan rate, when we apply power law to our data, was found to be 0.35. The absorption spectrum showed a characteristic absorption peak at 365 nm.