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Conductive Polymers

A class of polymers that conduct electricity. aka. intrinsically conducting polymers.

Unlike traditional polymers, conductive polymers have a conjugated system of double bonds which allows them to conduct electrical charge.

Conjugated polymers

Organic macromolecules that are characterized by a backbone chain of alternating double- and single-bonds.

Their overlapping p-orbitals create a system of delocalized -electrons, which can result in interesting and useful optical and electronic properties.

Doping can be used to further enhance electrical conductivity of these polymers.

Uses

  • Organic solar cells
  • Microwave-absorbent coatings
  • Electroluminescence

Examples

  • Polyaniline (PANI)
  • Polypyrrole (PPy)
  • Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)
  • Polythiophene (PT)