Ionic conduction mechanism of polymers

Many polymers have excellent electrical properties, as well as a variety of physical, chemical, and mechanical properties, that make them very suitable for insulating materials. Since knowledge of the nature of electrical conduction in insulating materials is incomplete, it is sometimes not clear whether the charge transfer process involves the transport of ions or electrons for a certain polymer. However, it would appear that the electrical conduction of polar polymers in a relatively low electric field is ionic. It is, therefore, useful to try to explain some of the complexities of the conduction process in polymers on the basis of behavior of ionic charge carriers. The complexities noticed commonly are the abrupt change in conductivity versus temperature behavior at the glass transition temperature of polymers and the derivation from Arrhenius behavior at temperatures above the glass transition temperature.