The polymers which conduct the electricity is called conducting polymers.

TYPES OF CONDUCTING POLYMERS:

1] Intrinsically conducting polymers(ICP):

ICP possess conjugated pi-electrons backbone. When such polymers faces electric field the pi-electrons get excited and moves through a polymeric materials.

The orbitals of conjugated pi-electrons get overlapped on the backbone and hence valence bonds and conduction bands are developed which get distributed over entire surface of polymer.

Appropriate proportion of conjugated pi-electrons makes polymers to conduct electricity very efficiently. Eg. Polyacetylenes, polyquinoline, polyphenylene.

2] DCP(Doped conducting polymers) :

These are prepared by exposure of the polymer to a charge transfer agent either in gas phase or in liquid phase. ICP can be made by more conducting by creating positive and negative charges on its backbone by oxidation or reduction. This is called doping.

There are two types of doping.

P-doping: In this type of doping ICP is oxidized by adding lewis acid. Eg.$I_2$ , $Br_2$.

ECP: In ECP conductivity is due to externally added ingredient in them.

Types of ECP :

a) Conducting element filled polymer(CEFP):

In this type, resin or polymer is filled up with conducting elements Eg : - Carbon black, metal oxide.

Properties: Cost is low, it is strong, light weight and easily moulded.

b) Blended conducting Polymers(BCP):

There are nothing but blend of normal polymer with conducting polymer. These have good mechanical properties.