Semiconductor materials based on conjugated polymers
are now attracting considerable attention as promising
materials for electronics technology [1–5]. The conjugated
polymers are generally p-type semiconductor materials.
Electrical conductivity, optical and thermoelectric power
(TEP) properties of the polymers can be changed by boron
and its derivates. The conjugated organoboron polymers
have been synthesized in recent years [6]. These
polymers are inherently a p-electron deficient system.
Therefore, they can behave as n-type semiconductors
when carriers are injected.
Polymer-derived ceramics is a relatively new and very
promising area that deals with the processing of advanced
ceramics by pyrolysis of preceramic polymers [7, 8]. The
main advantages of such polymer-derived ceramics are
the applicability of polymer-processing techniques, the
homogeneity of the precursors on a molecular level, the
low processing temperatures when compared to conventional
powder sintering methods [9], and the possibility of
synthesizing new compounds [7–9]. In addition, the introduction
of heteroatoms in the polymeric chains, such as
boron, has been proposed as a means for improving the
properties of the resulting boron-containing polymers as
well as the ceramic products [9–11].
New electronic materials based on polymer-derived
ceramics can be prepared by pyrolysis of suitable preceramic
polymers. These materials can be interesting for
future applications in the area of sensors. The main aim
of this study is to investigate the electronic properties
of a boron-containing poly(vinyl alcohol)-derived ceramic,
obtained at 973 K. For this, we have analyzed the
charge transport properties of the PVAB sample by electrical
conductivity, current–voltage, and thermoelectric
measurements.