Sequential change of semiconductor mechanisms of electrical conductivity in ternary PVDF/polyaniline/MWCNT nanocomposite in the wide temperature range of 4.2–340 K.

• Nanocomposite exhibits properties similar to doped semiconductors. • Efros-Shklovskii variable range hopping conductivity at helium temperatures. • Arrhenius behavior of electrical conductivity at near room temperatures. • Wide transition region of 20–230 K where conduction mechanisms act simultaneously. The electric charge transfer in a ternary nanocomposite based on polyaniline and multi-walled carbon nanotubes distributed in the dielectric matrix of polyvinylidene fluoride was studied in the wide temperature range of 4.2–340 K. The studied material exhibits properties similar to doped semiconductors. A sequence change in the semiconductor mechanisms of impurity conduction with increasing temperature is observed. The variable range hopping conduction dominates at helium temperatures. The excitation of charge carriers from the impurity level to the extended states provides conductivity at near room temperature. The existence of a wide transition region in the range 20–230 K, where both conduction mechanisms act simultaneously, was shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]