Pyroelectric superlattices based on copolysiloxane/calix[8]arene alternate layer LB films

The pyroelectric effect in alternate layer LB superlattices incorporating interacting lamellae of carboxyl and amino moieties has been investigated. Three distinct systems have been studied, namely (a) a copolysiloxane carboxylic acid/aliphatic amine alternate multilayer, (b) a calix[8]arene carboxylic acid/calix[8]arene amine alternate multilayer, and (c) a hybrid system consisting of a copolysiloxane carboxylic acid/calix[8]arene amine multilayer. In all superlattices there occurs proton transfer between acid and amine moieties leading to a temperature-dependent electric polarisation which is reinforced by added contributions from dipolar reorientation effects. This paper describes how the pyroelectric coefficient can be enhanced by utilising a hybrid alternate layer LB film superlattice containing a 50:50 copolysiloxane substituted with polar aromatic side-chains terminated with carboxyl groups, which is co-deposited with a calix[8]arene molecular basket substituted with primary amine groups. The pyroelectric activity of the copolysiloxane acid/calix[8]arene amine system is substantially higher and stable over a wider temperature range than either of the other two superlattices, giving a pyroelectric coefficient of 10.2 μC m−2 K−1 at 25°C.