Percolation conduction in polymer composites containing polypyrrole coated insulating polymer fiber and conducting polymer

Electrical conductivity of polymer composite containing insulating polymer fiber coated with thin polypyrrole layer has been found to increase remarkably by more than ten orders of magnitude above some threshold concentration. The activation energy of the electrical conductivity also changes drastically above this threshold. Thermoelectric power at concentration above this threshold is nearly the same with that of doped polypyrrole. The threshold concentration has been found to be dependent on the length of fiber remarkably. Longer length of fiber exhibits lower threshold concentration. These results are discussed in terms of percolation theory by taking the shape of fiber into consideration. Percolation conduction is also observed in other composites made of insulating polymers containing conducting polymers such as polyaniline.