Dielectric properties of some semiconducting polyazophenylenes

The dielectric properties of a series of semiconducting polyazophenylenes were studied as a function of temperature and molecular weight in the temperature range 293–600°K and for molecular weights between 5,100 and 62,800 at a constant frequency of 1 kHz. The compounds studied included poly-2,4-diaminotoluene, poly-2,4-diaminoanisole, and poly-2,5-diaminotoluene. The dielectric properties are presented in the usual way in terms of a complex dielectric constant ε^* = ε′—jε″. Activation energies of relaxation processes were evaluated from the areas and widths of the dielectric loss factor, ε″, against reciprocal temperature at constant frequency. The dielectric activation energies were found to be roughly equal to the activation energies from the DC conductivity. This indicates that the conduction mechanism is based on rotational movements of molecules or parts of molecules.