Molecular springs and muscles: Progress toward augmented electromechanical actuation*
Adah Almutairi, Kunsang Yoon, Fook Tham, and Michael J. Marsella
Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0403, USA
Abstract: The application of 3,3'-diphenyl-2'2-bithiophene as a helical scaffold capable of electrochemical polymerization to yield the corresponding polythiophene is reported. One unique feature of this monomer is its theoretically predicted (DFT) ability to mimic redox-stimulated contraction and expansion. This ability, coupled with traditional electromechanical actuation properties of bulk, redox-active conjugated polymers (CPs), yields a polymeric "molecular muscle" capable of both contraction and expansion.
Keywords: electromechanical actuation; polythiophene; helicity; diphenylbithiophene; molecular muscle.
*Paper based on a presentation at the 11th International Symposium on Novel Aromatic Compounds (ISNA-11), St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, 14-18 August 2005. Other presentations are published in this issue, pp. 685-888..