Conducting Polymers

HIGH POLYMERS
CONDUCTING POLYMERS
OUTLINES
• INTRODUCTION
• TYPES OF CONDUCTING POLYMERS
• PROPERTIES
• INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
CONDUCTING POLYMERS
• Most polymeric materials are poor conductors of electricity because
of the non-availability of large number of free electrons for the
conduction process and are used as insulators.
• However some polymers have electrical conductivity and can be used
in place of metals due to their light weight and low cost.
• Polymeric materials which possess electrical conductivities on par
with the metallic conductors are called conducting polymers.
• Their conductivity may be due to unsaturation or due to the presence
of externally added ingredients to polymers
Polymers Electrical conductivity (Ohm-1m-1)
Phenol formaldehyde 10-9 – 10-10
Poly methyl methacrylate < 10-12
Nylon 6,6 10-12 – 10-13
Polystyrene < 10-14
Polyethylene 10-15 – 10-17
Poly tetra fluoro ethylene < 10-17
TYPES OF CONDUCTING POLYMERS
• Intrinsically Conducting Polymers (ICP)
• Doped conducting polymers
• Extrinsically conducting polymers
• Coordination conducting polymers (Inorganic polymers)

Intrinsically Conducting Polymers (ICP)
• These are characterized by intensive conjugation of π bonds in their
structure.
• This is a polymer whose back bones or associated groups consisting of
delocalized electron pair or residual charge, which increases their
conductivity to a large extent.
• The conduction process is due to the overlapping of orbitals containing
conjugated π -electrons, resulting in the formation of valence bands as
well as conduction bands separated by significant Fermi energy gap.
• The electrical conductivity is due to thermal or photolytic activation of the
electrons, which gives them sufficient energy to cross the Fermi gap and
cause conduction.
Commercially produced conducting polymers
• Poly acetylene polymers e.g., poly – p-phenylene, polyquinoline etc.
• Polymers with condensed aromatic rings e.g. poly aniline, poly
anthrylene etc
• Polymers with aromatic, hetero aromatic and conjugated aliphatic
units e.g. poly pyrrole, poly thiophene, poly butadiene etc
Doped conducting polymers
• These are obtained by exposing a polymer to a charge transfer agent
either in gas phase or in solution.
• These possess low ionization potential and high electron affinities, as
they can be easily oxidized and reduced.
• The conductivity of such can be increased by creating either positive
or negative charges on the polymer backbone by oxidation or
reduction. This is known as doping.
• Doping is of two types
• p – type doping
• n – type doping
• p-doping: It involves treating an ICP with a lewis acid, there by the
positive charges are created on polymer back bone by an oxidation
process. This is also called oxidative doping. PA is an example.
• Some of the common p-dopants are I2, Br2, PF6, Naphthyl amine etc.
• n-doping polymers: This involves treating an intrinsically conducting
polymer with a lewis base, thereby reduction process takes place and
negative charge on the polymer backbone is created.
• Some of the common n-dopants used are Li, Na, Ca, FeCl3, tetrabutyl
ammonium etc.
Extrinsically conducting polymers
• These are the polymers whose conductivity is due to the presence of
“externally” added ingredient to them.
• They are of two types.
• Conductive element filled polymers:

• This is a resin or polymer filled with conducting elements such as carbon black, metallic
fibres, metal oxides etc.
• They have reasonably good conductivity.
• These are low cost polymers having light weight, mechanical durability and have design
compatibility.
• They are extensively used in medical field.
• Blended conducting polymers:
• They are obtained by blending a conventional polymer with a conducting polymer either
by physical or chemical change to improve physical, chemical and mechanical properties
of the polymer.
• They are used in electromagnetic shielding.
• They are also used in making rechargeable batteries, analytical sensors, ion exchangers,
electronic displays, optical fibres and photovoltaic devices.
Coordination conducting polymers (Inorganic polymers)
• This is a charge transfer complex containing polymer obtained by

combining a metal atom with a polydentate ligand. The degree of
polymerization in such polymers is small (≤18).
APPLICATIONS
• In rechargeable light weight batteries based on perchlorate doped poly
acetylene – lithium system, which is 10 times lighter than lead storage
batteries.
• In optical display devices based on poly thiophene.
• In wiring systems in aircrafts and aerospace components.
• In telecommunication systems.
• In antistatic coatings for clothing.
• In electromagnetic screening materials.
• In electronic devices such as transistors and diodes.
• In solar cells and drug delivery system for human body.
• In molecular wires and molecular switches.

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HIGH POLYMERS

• Intrinsically Conducting Polymers (ICP)

• Doped conducting polymers

• Extrinsically conducting polymers

• Coordination conducting polymers (Inorganic polymers)

• Conductive element filled polymers:

• This is a charge transfer complex containing polymer obtained by

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