THE ROUTES TOWARDS 3-DIMENSIONAL CONDUCTING POLYMERS .2. TRANSPORT-PROPERTIES OF FULLY CONJUGATED GELS OF POLY(3-N-OCTYLTHIOPHENE)

The conductivity and the thermoelectric power of fully conjugated netw orks of poly(3-n-octylthiophene) have been measured as a function of t he temperature between 15 and 300 K. Despite the interchain conjugated reticulation the conduction process is still governed by hopping. The data are in good agreement with a model of inter-cluster hopping cond uction. The cluster size is discussed as a function of the reticulatio n ratio. It is pointed out that the presence of the reticulation point s gives rise to specific properties, in particular the intrinsic intra -cluster conductivity is enhanced as compared to that of poly(3-n-octy lthiophene). (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.