Electronic conduction mechanism in chitin-polyaniline blend

The electrical conductivity of chitin-polyaniline blend doped with HCl has been studied in the temperature range 323-373 K for various blend compositions. Conductivity of blends increases from less than approximate to 10(-7) S/cm to 2.15 x 10(-5) S/cm, depending on the percentage of polyaniline in the blend clue to self-doping of LiCl. When these blends are doped with HCl conductivity raises to approximate to 9.68 x 10(-2) S/cm. Current-voltage data is analyzed using various models available. The results suggest Schottky-Richardson and one-dimensional variable range hopping mechanisms for undoped blend and one-dimensional variable range hopping mechanism in the case of doped blend. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.