A novel intrinsically conducting polymer for optoelectronic applications from Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Rubber (NBR)

High intrinsic electric conductivity has been developed in the non-conjugated copolymer_Acrylonitrile-Butacliene Rubber (NBR) by doping with Antimony Pentachloride (SbCl5). With increase in the rate of doping conductivity is found to increase by 9 orders of magnitude followed by a color change of NBR films from colorless to dark brown. Also an effort has been made to compare the effects of SbCl5 doping with iodine doping in NBR. Comparison of spectral studies, conductivities at different doping periods and the resulting band gap values Of I-2 and SbCl5 doped NBR clearly indicated the efficiency of SbCl5 doping over I-2 doping. The underlying mechanism of doping in both cases has also been discussed.