Bismuth nitrate doped polyaniline - Characterization and properties for thermoelectric application

▶ To the best of our knowledge it is for the first time that bismuth nitrate has been used as a dopant to attain the conducting state of polyaniline. ▶ Nano rods of polyaniline was obtained in the electrochemical deposition. ▶ Dopant concentration has significant effect on the electrical transport properties viz. electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power. ▶ As a result a sample (20:1::Bi(NO3)3:PANI) with highest power factor has been identified which exhibit an increase of power factor by two fold as compared to HCl doped polyaniline. ▶ The mechanism of charge transport is explained and the variation of thermoelectric power with temperature is well fitted with an equation based on these mechanisms.