Electric Field Induced Hopping Conductivity and Polarization in Hytrel

Authors

Steve Hart

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

4-20-2007

Abstract

The focus of my 4900 research project is centered on the conductivity of Hytrel, a complex, newly developed block co-polymer. I first began to study Hytrel during the summer of 2006, as part of the USU College of Science Mini-Grant program¹. My general objective was to study the relationship between the resistivity of Hytrel and hopping conductivity. Hopping conductivity is a theory of electron transport for nonconducting solids, originally developed for amorphous semiconductors^2,3. The theory will be examined in greater detail later in this document. While studying this relationship last summer, I noticed an unusual phenomenon in the Hytrel data. When subjected to an electric field, Hytrel responds very slowly. The initial response of thin-film dielectrics to an electric field is typically understood to be governed by the polarization of the polymeric chains. What I seemed to be an unusual polarization in Hytrel formed the impetus for my project.

Recommended Citation

Hart, Steve, "Electric Field Induced Hopping Conductivity and Polarization in Hytrel" (2007). Senior Theses and Projects. Paper 3.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/mp_seniorthesesprojects/3