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Photoconductive_Polymers_Summary

Photoconductive polymers are smart materials that increase their electrical conductivity when exposed to light, overcoming the low conductivity of typical organic compounds. They operate through mechanisms involving charge-carrier generation and transport, with applications in xerography and laser printing. Despite their advantages, such as flexibility and sensitivity to a wide range of light wavelengths, they currently face limitations in energy conversion efficiency for photovoltaic applications.

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2 views4 pages

Photoconductive_Polymers_Summary

Photoconductive polymers are smart materials that increase their electrical conductivity when exposed to light, overcoming the low conductivity of typical organic compounds. They operate through mechanisms involving charge-carrier generation and transport, with applications in xerography and laser printing. Despite their advantages, such as flexibility and sensitivity to a wide range of light wavelengths, they currently face limitations in energy conversion efficiency for photovoltaic applications.

Uploaded by

thnagus15
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Photoconductive Polymers

Introduction

- Photoconductive polymers are materials that absorb electromagnetic radiation and become more electrically

conductive as a result.

- These polymers are considered smart materials because their electrical conductivity can be controlled by

exposure to light.

- Organic compounds typically have low electrical conductivity, but photoconductive polymers overcome this

limitation when exposed to light.

Mechanism and Properties

- Photoconductivity occurs when the material absorbs light, which excites electrons and creates free charge

carriers (electrons and holes).

- The light must have enough energy to excite electrons across the band gap or into impurity levels within the

band gap.

- The conductivity of the polymer increases as the number of free electrons and holes increases.

- Photoconductive polymers act as charge-transporting media, often transporting holes (p-type), although

some can also transport electrons (n-type).

- The movement of these charge carriers is supported by an external electric field.

- Most photoconductive polymers have very low charge carrier mobility, typically in the range of 10¹² to 10¹

m²V¹s¹.

Processes Involved in Photoconductivity

- The photocurrent is influenced by four main processes: charge-carrier generation, charge injection, charge

trapping, and charge transport.


Photoconductive Polymers

- Quantum efficiency and carrier mobility are the two key intrinsic properties that determine the amount of

photocurrent.

- Photoconductive polymers must allow either the photoexcited electrons or holes (or both) to migrate toward

the appropriate electrodes.

- These materials are usually insulators in the absence of light and free charge carriers.

Types of Photoconductive Polymers

- There are two main types of photoconductive polymers: negative photoconductive polymers and magnetic

photoconductive polymers.

- These materials have greatly expanded the range of photoconductive compounds available for various

applications.

- Hundreds of such polymers have been reported in scientific literature and patents.

Xerography

- Xerography, also known as electrophotography, is a photocopying technique based on photoconductive

materials.

- It was invented by Chester Carlson in 1938 and later developed into a commercial process by the Xerox

Corporation.

- Early xerography used flat plates, but the introduction of a rotating cylindrical drum coated with selenium led

to automation.

- The first commercial automatic copier using this method was the Xerox 914, released in 1960.

- Xerography uses dry solid materials, avoiding the liquid chemicals used in traditional printing techniques.
Photoconductive Polymers

- Organic photoconductive polymers are now used as the foundation material in xerographic printers.

Laser Printers

- Laser printing is a digital electrostatic printing process that produces high-quality text and images.

- The laser scans across a photoconductive drum to form an electrostatic image, which attracts charged toner

particles.

- The toner image is transferred to paper and fused by heat.

- Unlike analog photocopiers, laser printers use digital scanning, which makes the process faster and more

efficient.

- Laser printers, which use xerographic principles, have become common in both office and home settings.

Advantages of Organic Photoconductive Polymers

- Organic photoconductive polymers are sensitive to near-infrared light.

- These materials exhibit panchromaticity, meaning they respond to a wide range of light wavelengths.

- They are flexible in terms of application design and allow for simpler and lower-cost fabrication.

- The best organic photoconductive polymers are now nearly as sensitive as traditional inorganic materials

like selenium.

Limitations and Other Applications

- Photoconductive polymers currently have low energy conversion efficiency, which limits their use in

photovoltaic cells.

- Some proposed applications that are still under research include photothermoplastic imaging, holographic
Photoconductive Polymers

data storage, and optical switching devices.

- Although many possible uses have been reported in the literature, not all have reached commercial

production.

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