TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF CANADA BALSAM.

The study of electrical conductivity ( sigma ) of canada balsam has been reported as a function of temperature (T), thickness and electric field. It has been observed that the plots of In sigma versus 1/T at different electric fields and thicknesses show exponential increase in sigma with temperature with several peak-like variations. The peaks are found at a fixed temperature, which may be considered as the critical temperature (T//c). The plot of In sigma versus 1/T can be divided into different regions. The variation in the calculated values of activation energies and temperature coefficients of conductivity for different regions show change in phase. Electrical conduction in such a liquid polymer is molionic. Temperature dependence of viscosity of the sample is the cause of variation of conductivity with temperature. The peaks at critical temperatures reveal the characteristic surge on the viscosity polytherm.