Addition of polymers to thiophene monomers in the in situ polymerization

1. A process for the production of a capacitor, comprising the process steps:

a) the provision of an electrode body of an electrode material, wherein a dielectric covers one surface of this electrode material at least partly to form an anode body;

b) the in situ polymerization of at least one thiophene monomer in at least a part of the anode body in the presence of at least one oxidizing agent and at least one polymer, wherein the polymer has the structural formula (I)

R 1 O—R 2 n O—R 1   (I)

in which

n is an integer ≧3;

the radicals R 2 within the structural formula (I) can be identical or different and represent an alkylene group optionally containing a hydroxyl group or a polyether group;

the radicals R 1 within the structural formula (I) can be identical or different and represent a hydrogen atom, a C 1 -C 10 -alkyl group, an unsaturated C 1 -C 10 -alkylene group, an acryloyl group or a methacryloyl group, wherein at least one of the radicals R 1 represents a C 1 -C 10 -alkyl group, an unsaturated C 1 -C 10 -alkylene group, an acryloyl group or a methacryloyl group;

wherein a reaction solution comprising the at least one thiophene monomer, the at least one polymer having the structural formula (I), the at least one oxidizing agent and optionally one or more additives, which comprises the polymer having the structural formula (I) in a concentration of at least 1 wt. %, based on the total weight of the reaction solution, is employed for the in situ polymerization.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the thiophene monomer is 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein iron(III) tosylate is employed as the oxidizing agent in the in situ polymerization.

4. The process according to, wherein in the structural formula (I) the radical R 2 represents a radical chosen from the group consisting of —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CHCH 3 —CH 2 — or —CH 2 —CHOH—CH 2 —.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein in the structural formula (I) at least one radical R 1 represents CH 3 , —(CH 2 ) m CH 3 , where m=1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, —CH 2 —CH═CH 2 , —CH═CH 2 , —CO—CH═CH 2 or —CO—C(CH 3 )═CH 2 .

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer having the structural formula (I) is an oligo- or polyalkylene glycol monoalkyl ether or an oligo- or polyalkylene glycol dialkyl ether.

7. The process according claim 1 , wherein the polymer having the structural formula (I) is a polyethylene glycol monoalkyl ether, a polypropylene glycol monoalkyl ether or a poly(co-ethylene-propylene) monoalkyl ether.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer having the structural formula (I) has a molecular weight in a range of from 100 to 10,000 g/mol.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction solution employed for the in situ polymerization additionally comprises a polyalkylene glycol having a molecular weight in a range of from 100 to 2,000 g/mol.

10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the reaction solution comprises the polymer having the structural formula (I) and the polyalkylene glycol in a weight ratio in a range of from 1:10 to 10:1.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer having the structural formula (I) and the thiophene monomer are employed in a weight ratio of polymer having the structural formula (I): thiophene monomer of at least 0.1:1.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymerization is carried out at a temperature in a range of from 20 to 300° C. over a period in a range of from 1 minute to 12 hours.