Electrical and Electrochemical Properties of Conducting Polymers

Abstract

Conducting polymers (CPs) have received much attention in both fundamental and practical studies because they have electrical and electrochemical properties similar to those of both traditional semiconductors and metals. CPs possess excellent characteristics such as mild synthesis and processing conditions, chemical and structural diversity, tunable conductivity, and structural flexibility. Advances in nanotechnology have allowed the fabrication of versatile CP nanomaterials with improved performance for various applications including electronics, optoelectronics, sensors, and energy devices. The aim of this review is to explore the conductivity mechanisms and electrical and electrochemical properties of CPs and to discuss the factors that significantly affect these properties. The size and morphology of the materials are also discussed as key parameters that affect their major properties. Finally, the latest trends in research on electrochemical capacitors and sensors are introduced through an in-depth discussion of the most remarkable studies reported since 2003.

Radically Accessing D–A Type Ambipolar Copolymeric Materials with Intrinsic Electrical Conductivity and Visible–Near Infrared Absorption Via Electro‐Copolymerization

“…Driven toward possible practical application, the stability of the polymers were evaluated by subjecting the polymers to repeated redox cycles (4000 cycles) between +1.2 and −1.5 V (Figure S15, Supporting Information). The first and last cycles were compared to observe the redox stability of the polymer—specifically seeking any signs of electrochemical decay due to structural distortion and/or degradation . For both poly(T 3 ‐TTDT 2 ) and poly(T 3 ‐DPPT 2 ), the total exchange charge remains constant for each cycle indicating that the redox activities remain the same even at 4000 cycles .…”

Chemoresistive materials for electronic nose: Progress, perspectives, and challenges

“…In addition, they demonstrate inherent limitations such as relatively low conductivity and lack of consistency in their properties. Therefore, considerable research was conducted to combine CPs with other heterogeneous species, and studies are underway to improve the sensitivity and selectivity with hybridization of CPs to other components in sensor applications . The research on CP‐based portable e‐nose systems will be discussed in this section.…”

Progress in the Development of Intrinsically Conducting Polymer Composites as Biosensors

“…To date, biosensors modified with the aid of a solitary material were not commercialized owing to their surface poisoning because of adsorbed intermediates, low sensitivity, poor selectivity, and intervention from additional species. Also, though ICPs provide copious benefits, the progress in increasing the properties has not been commensurate with those of their carbon‐based, metallic, and metal oxide counterparts . Thus, forming composites of ICP with different materials avoid these difficulties and find attractive features in the field of biosensing .…”