A random network model for electrical transport in conducting polymers

A random resistor network is proposed as a conceptual model for electrical transport in conducting polymers. In such a theoretical framework, structural and phenomenological aspects of the system can be simultaneously represented. The influence of topological and morphological disorder, chain length and polymer orientation on the overall conductivity of the idealized polymeric sample is then investigated as a preliminary and qualitative assessment to the modelling technique. The results of computational simulations demonstrate the importance of including structural characteristics into the model to account for the intrinsic diversity of charge transfer mechanisms which dictate the conducting behaviour of the polymer material.