THE CATHODIC AND ANODIC DOPING OF ELECTRON-CONDUCTING POLYMERS - QUASI-EQUILIBRIUM AND RETARDED PROCESSES

The study of the doping of electron-conducting polymers with the examp le of poly-3-methylthiophene in acetonitrile solutions of tetraethyl- and tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborates is continued. The polymer is shown to be doped in these solutions both anodically and cathodically . The major portion of the charge of the electron-conducting polymer i s demonstrated to undergo a quasi-reversible redox transformation. The redox transformation of the residual portion of both the positive and the negative charge is strongly retarded. An assumption that the reta rdation is related to the blocking of the residual charge within a non conducting matrix of the neutral polymer is proposed.