Abstract

Soluble pure silicon or germanium-containing poly(amide)s and their metallic composites (Cu or Au) were synthesized and characterized. Optical band gaps of pure polymer were comparable to an insulator behavior; however, the conductivity of some composites at several concentrations shows a diode-like behavior. Samples exhibit a monoclinic lattice mixed with amorphous structures. Specifically, polymer-Au composites showed distortion of this unit cell, associated with an increase in the conductance. This effect would be related to the coordination of the central atom (Si or Ge) to the incorporated metal, producing a homogeneous distribution of metallic particles within the system. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012.