INVESTIGATION OF OPEN CIRCUIT REACTIONS OF POLYMER FILMS USING THE QUARTZ CRYSTAL MICROBALANCE. REACTIONS OF POLYVINYLFERROCENE FILMS.

Bimolecular reactions between polyvinylferrocene (PV-Fc) films at open circuit and solution species that are accompanied by mass changes in the polymer have been investigated with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). PV-Fc oxidation by I//2/I//3** minus and PV-Fc** plus reduction by Fe**I**I(CN)//6**4** minus and Ru(NH//3)//6**2** plus can be monitored with the QCM by following the formation of PV-FcI//3 in the former reaction and the expulsion of counteranions from the polymer film in the latter two processes. Rate constants can be estimated and reaction mechanisms postulated based on the temporal response of the frequency shift that occurs upon switching the films to open circuit from a potential which electrochemically maintains the active redox state of the polymer.