Photoconductivity polymers

It is possible to make inert polymers photoconductive and to improve the photoconduction performance of conducting polymers by doping, i.e. by the addition of appropriate low molar mass substances to the polymers. Relevant work has been reviewed by Mylnikov [3]. Early studies with inert polymers such as poly-... 

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The polysdanes are normally electrical insulators, but on doping with AsF or SbF they exhibit electrical conductivity up to the levels of good semiconductors (qv) (98,124). Conductivities up to 0.5 (H-cm) have been measured. However, the doped polymers are sensitive to air and moisture thereby making them unattractive for practical use. In addition to semiconducting behavior, polysilanes exhibit photoconductivity and appear suitable for electrophotography (qv) (125—127). Polysdanes have also been found to exhibit nonlinear optical properties (94,128). 

Photoconductive polymers are widely used in the imaging industry as either photosensitive receptors or carrier (electron or hole) transporting materials in copy machines and laser printers. This is still the only area in which the photoelectronic properties of polymers are exploited on a large-scale industrial basis. It is also one electronic appHcation where polymers are superior to inorganic semiconductors. 

There are many excellent reviews of photoconductive polymers (4—10). This article emphasizes results obtained after 1980, up to early 1994. 

Photoconductive polymers can be convenientiy classified into five categories based on thek stmctures and modes of photoconduction. 

Fig. 2. Molecular structures of selected photoconductive polymers with pendent groups (1) poly(A/-vinylcarba2ole) [25067-59-8] (PVK), (2) A/-polysiloxane carbazole, (3) bisphenol A polycarbonate [24936-68-3] (4) polystyrene [9003-53-6] (5) polyvin5i(l,2-/n7 j -bis(9H-carba2ol-9-yl)cyclobutane) [80218-52-6]...

Other polymers ia this category iaclude CJ-conjugated polygermylenes (20) and TT-conjugated poly acetylene, polythiophene, and poly(p-phenylenevinylene). The photoconductivity of many TT-conjugated polymers can be enhanced by dopiag with fuUerenes (21). 

Liquid Crystalline Systems. Conventional photoconductive polymers are amphorous or systems withlow order. In the case of PVK, the hole moves by hoppiag between the pendent carba2ole groups. The hole mobilities are usuaUylow, cm /Vs, due to a trap-dominated hoppiag... 

Nanoclusters/Polymer Composites. The principle for developing a new class of photoconductive materials, consisting of charge-transporting polymers such as PVK doped with semiconductor nanoclusters, sometimes called nanoparticles, Q-particles, or quantum dots, has been demonstrated (26,27). 

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