Electrosynthesis of Conducting Polymers in Lecithin Liquid Crystal Reaction Field

Lecithin is a biological material that exhibits lyotropic liquid crystal form at certain concentrations in water. Specifically, lecithin forms lamellar structures like a smectic phase layers. We describe electro-oxidative preparation of polymers such as polyaniline (PANI), poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and polypyrrole (PPy) in a lecithin liquid crystal matrix. Cross-shaped images (Maltese crosses) derived from lamellar structures were observed for the resultant polymer film with a polarizing optical microscopy under crossed Nicol condition. Lecithin lamellar structure in the water was transcribed to the resultant polymers during the electropolymerization. This research demonstrates transcription of a liquid crystal aggregation form of biomaterials onto synthetic polymers through electrochemical process.