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Electronic conduction in polymers, carbon nanotubes and graphene
Alan B Kaiser1, Viera Skákalová
1MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology and School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P. O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand. Alan.Kaiser@vuw.ac.nz
Chemical Society Reviews
|March 18, 2011
Summary
This review compares electrical conduction in organic polymers, carbon nanotubes, and graphene. It highlights shared and distinct mechanisms, influenced by material structure and disorder.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Organic Electronics
Background:
- Organic polymers, carbon nanotubes, and graphene are novel carbon-based conductors.
- These materials exhibit electrical conductivities comparable to metals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and compare conduction mechanisms in organic polymers, carbon nanotubes, and graphene.
- To discuss the influence of sample morphology and heterogeneous disorder on conduction.
Main Methods:
- Critical review of existing literature.
- Analysis of conduction mechanisms including metallic conduction, fluctuation-assisted tunneling, and variable-range hopping.
- Examination of morphology-dependent and disorder-dependent conduction behaviors.
Main Results:
- Identified commonalities and differences in conduction mechanisms across these carbon-based materials.
- Demonstrated that sample morphology significantly impacts electrical conductivity.
- Highlighted the crucial role of heterogeneous disorder in determining overall conduction behavior, often leading to similar behaviors in disparate materials.
Conclusions:
- Conduction in organic polymers, carbon nanotubes, and graphene is complex and influenced by multiple factors.
- Disorder plays a critical role, unifying conduction behaviors across different carbon allotropes.
- Further research into structure-property relationships is essential for optimizing these conductive materials.
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