Electrical properties of PVA/PPY blends

We present a dielectric study of polymeric blends composed by polypyrrole (PRY) incorporated into a matrix a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) containing ferric chloride (FeCl3). The PPY conducting regions are formed inside the matrix by in situ polymerization after the (PVA+FeCl3) matrix is exposed to the vapor of the monomer. The mixed dielectric/conducting characteristics of the resulting blend is conveniently characterized by dielectric spectroscopy, and in this manner both the charge transport and charge storing processes can be followed. We have also examined how the temperature variation in the 300-24 K range affects the electrical behavior of the material.