Frequency-dependent conductivity of interpenetrating polymer network composites of polypyrrole-poly(vinyl acetate)

The frequency-dependent conductivity of interpenetrating polymer network composites of polypyrrole (PPy) and poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) synthesized by FeCl3-(i)mpregnated PVAc films being dipped into solutions of pyrrole in water was investigated over a frequency range of 100 Hz to 2 MHz and a temperature range of 110-300 K. For specimens with a PPy content less than the percolation threshold, the quantum mechanical tunneling of electrons was the conduction mechanism. For Specimens with a higher PPy content, correlated barrier hopping of electrons appeared to be operative. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 1935-1941, 2001.