Conducting polymers charge transport

Note 3 Unlike polymeric electrolytes, in which charge is transported by dissolved ions, charge in intrinsically conducting polymers is transported along and between polymer molecules via generated charge carriers (e.g., holes, electrons). 

The conductivity of PVPA depends on temperature, water content (PVPA is a hygroscopic material), and self-condensation at higher temperature as a function of the relative humidity of air. The relative humidity influences the water uptake at higher humidity, PVPA becomes even a gel. Relative humidity and temperature determine the equilibrium between condensed and non-condensed phosphonic OH groups also, water and self-condensation coexist in the polymer, both influencing the proton conductivity because charge transport in PVPA involves water transferring protons between... 

This article addresses the synthesis, properties, and appHcations of redox dopable electronically conducting polymers and presents an overview of the field, drawing on specific examples to illustrate general concepts. There have been a number of excellent review articles (1—13). Metal particle-filled polymers, where electrical conductivity is the result of percolation of conducting filler particles in an insulating matrix (14) and ionically conducting polymers, where charge-transport is the result of the motion of ions and is thus a problem of mass transport (15), are not discussed. 

During the past 30 years considerable research has been undertaken that has led to electrically conducting polymers that do not rely on the use of fillers, the so-called intrinsically conductive polymers. Such polymers depend on the presence of particles which can transport or carry an electric charge. Two types may be distinguished ... 

A thin layer deposited between the electrode and the charge transport material can be used to modify the injection process. Some of these arc (relatively poor) conductors and should be viewed as electrode materials in their own right, for example the polymers polyaniline (PAni) [81-83] and polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDT or PEDOT) [83, 841 heavily doped with anions to be intrinsically conducting. They have work functions of approximately 5.0 cV [75] and therefore are used as anode materials, typically on top of 1TO, which is present to provide lateral conductivity. Thin layers of transition metal oxide on ITO have also been shown [74J to have better injection properties than ITO itself. Again these materials (oxides of ruthenium, molybdenum or vanadium) have high work functions, but because of their low conductivity cannot be used alone as the electrode. 

The electrochemistry of a polymer-modified electrode is determined by a combination of thermodynamics and the kinetics of charge-transfer and transport processes. Thermodynamic aspects are highlighted by cyclic voltammetry, while kinetic aspects are best studied by other methods. These methods will be introduced here, with the emphasis on how they are used to measure the rates of electron and ion transport in conducting polymer films. Charge transport in electroactive films in general has recently been reviewed elsewhere.9,11... 

It was reabzed early on that because of their high electron transport rates, the charging rates of conducting polymer films would be controlled predominantly by the rate at which charge-compensating ions [Eq.(l)] could be extracted from, or ejected into, the bathing electrolyte solution.160,161 However, these and some other studies employing chronoam-... 

Charge transfer kinetics for electronically conducting polymer formation, 583 Charge transport in polymers, 567 Chemical breakdown model for passivity, 236... 

Van Dyke L S, Martin C R (1990) Fibrillar electronically conductive polymers show enhanced rates of charge transport. Synth Met 36 275-281... 

Electrochemical oxidation of X produces a polymer film with polythiophene as the backbone and viologen centers as pendant redox groups. The electrochemical properties of the polymer are the combination of polythiophene and viologen. Using viologen subunits as the internal standard (one per repeat unit of the polymer), the "doping level" of the oxidized polythiophene backbone at its maximum conductivity can be measured and is about 25%. The charge transport via the pendant V2+/+ of poly(l) has been studied by... 

---