Electrically conductive elastomeric TCNQ complexes

New elastomeric ionene polymers containing poly(tetramethylene oxide) chain units were synthesized. The electrical conductivities of the salts of these polymers with (the anion radical of tetracyanoquinodimethane) (simple salt) and with neutral TCNQ added (doped salt) were investigated. Each cationic site in the polycationic polymer chain is separated by a long elastic chain unit, and consequently, moieties in the simple salt are expected to be well separated. Unexpectedly, doping with neutral TCNQ caused a marked decrease in the specific resistivity and the activation energy. Although the simple salt is elastic, doping with neutral TCNQ increased the stiffness of the material. The room-temperature specific resistivity of the doped salts was in the range of 103 to 104 Ω cm. The marked change of electrical and mechanical properties brought about by doping with neutral TCNQ is discussed in terms of a structural model in which phase separation of the ionic part from the nonionic elastic units has been assumed.