conducting polymer

Polymeric material that exhibits bulk electric conductivity.
Notes:
  1. See also: conductivity.
  2. The electric conductivity of a conjugated polymer is markedly increased by doping it with an electron donor or acceptor, as in the case of polyacetylene doped with iodine.
  3. A polymer showing a substantial increase in electric conductivity upon irradiation with ultraviolet or visible light is called a photoconductive polymer; an example is poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (See also: photoconductivity).
  4. A polymer that shows electric conductivity due to the transport of ionic species is called an ion-conducting polymer; an example is sulfonated polyaniline. When the transported ionic species is a proton as, e.g., in the case of fuel cells, it is called a proton-conducting polymer.
  5. A polymer that shows electric semiconductivity is called a semiconducting polymer (See also: semiconductor).
  6. Electric conductance of a non-conducting polymer can be achieved by dispersing conducting particles (e.g., metal, carbon black) in the polymer. The resulting materials are referred to as conducting polymer composites or solid polymer-electrolyte composites.
Source:
PAC, 2004, 76, 889 (Definitions of terms relating to reactions of polymers and to functional polymeric materials (IUPAC Recommendations 2003)) on page 898