Polyindole perchlorate (PIP) was obtained by electro-polymerization, supplying a potential of 0.68 eV. Cyclic voltammetry measurements suggested that the electrode reaction was irreversible. Structural analysis of PIP was performed by various spectroscopic measurements and the results suggested the 1,3-polymerization mechanism of indole. A thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was performed on the polyindole-based systems, and the results were compared with the polyaniline-based ones. From a comparison of thermal reaction rates in polyindole- and polyaniline-based systems, their thermal characteristics were studied. The electrical conductivity for the PIP pellet was performed in the temperature range from -150 to 25-degrees-C. From the result, the values of log-sigma at 25-degrees-C and the E(a) calculated from the Arrhenius plot were -1.67 Scm-1 and 0.508 eV, respectively. The PIP pellet experiment suggested that hopping conduction was a possible conduction mechanism and that polarons were the charge carriers. Also, the perchlorate anions placed along the polymer chains acted as electron acceptors. ESR measurement on the PIP powder was performed at 25-degrees-C, which provided the various ESR-parameters.
