Soliton electric generators based on conducting polymers

Abstract

Iodide doping produces charge carriers in π-conjugated polymers. Motivated by the SSH theoretical model of solitons in one-dimensional conjugated polymers, chemical doping of polyacetylene film is experimentally carried out to generate solitons. An Arago-type wheel electric generator is assembled based on the doped polyacetylene in place of a copper or aluminium plate. This is the first report of electric generation in conducting polymers based on solitons.