Two types of retarded charge in the electron-conducting thiophene polymers

A study of the cathodic and anodic doping of polybithiophene and poly-3-phe nylthiophene in acetonitrile and propylene carbonate demonstrates that the main fractions of charges of either sign undergo quasireversible redox conv ersions. Two types of retarded processes reveal themselves. One is associat ed with conversions of residual portions of positive and negative doping ch arges trapped in the nonconducting matrix of a neutral polymer at final sta ges of the undoping process. The other is due to redox conversions of polym er chemically modified when interacting with solution components.