Irreconcilable room temperature magnetotransport properties of polypyrrole nanoparticles and nanorods

The morphology of nanostructures plays a vital role in determining the conductivity of specimens and, consequently, affects the efficiency of magnetoelectronic devices such as magnetic field sensors. Herein, nanoparticles (NPs) and nanorods (NRs) of conducting polymer polypyrrole have been synthesized at room temperature via the chemical oxidative polymerization method. The positive and negative magnetoresistance signatures are respectively obtained in NPs and NRs morphology, respectively. Both morphologies have conduction in the variable range-hopping regime with the average charge carrier hopping length being highly influenced by the sign of magnetoresistance. This morphology dependence is not only interesting for fundamental research but it also allows for tuning magnetic field sensor materials to be usable at room temperature for the desired characteristics.