Microwave and optical properties of soluble conducting polymers

Conducting polymers soluble in the doped (sulfonic acids doped polyaniline) or undoped state (poly(3-alkyl thiophenes) can easily be processed and mixed with insulating polymers using classical techniques such as spin-coating, moulding or extrusion. The properties obtained depend on structural characteristics of the conducting polymer (defects content, chain length, crystallinity) but also on the details of processing techniques. As an extension of previous works we have investigated the potentialities of soluble conductive polymers for the design of a new generation of microwave absorbing materials. An other important point when dealing with applications isʹthe evolution of materials properties over time. The stability of conducting polymer based materials is also influenced by structural parameters of the polymer and the processing routes.