Low frequency alternating current conduction and dielectric relaxation in polypyrrole irradiated with 100 MeV swift heavy ions of silver (Ag8+)

•Polypyrrole samples were prepared by electrochemical technique.•The fully undoped samples were irradiated with 100 MeV silver (Ag8+) ions.•Giant increase in dielectric constant in irradiated samples is observed.•Dielectric behaviour is attributed to polaronic defects produced during irradiation.

Polypyrrole (PPY) films were prepared by electrochemical polymerization technique. The fully undoped samples were irradiated with different radiation fluences ranging from 1010 to 1012 ions cm−2 of 100 MeV silver (Ag8+) ions. The temperature dependence of ac conductivity [σm(ω)], dielectric constant (ɛ′) and dielectric loss (ɛ′′) of both irradiated as well as unirradiated samples have been investigated in 77–300 K. There exists typical Debye type dispersion. Giant increase in dielectric constant has been observed for irradiated samples which is attributed to polaronic defects produced during irradiation.

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