Evolution of Electrical Properties in Conjugated Polymer Gels Induced by Electrical Treatment

In this study, a conductive hydrogel system based on the conjugated polymer polypyrrole (PPy) and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) was successfully constructed, and its electrical performance was thoroughly investigated through a series of electrochemical characterizations. The results reveal significant differences in the material's electrical behavior before and after electrical stimulation, as evidenced by impedance spectroscopy, resistance measurements, and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) tests. Specifically, under a constant voltage of 0.4 V, the resistance ratio (R/R₀) of the gel decreased to approximately 70% after 3000 s of stimulation. In GCD tests, the charge–discharge cycle increased significantly from approximately 0.4 s to 5 s post-stimulation. These findings demonstrate that electrical activation induces molecular rearrangement and the formation of internal conductive pathways within the gel, thereby enhancing both its electrical conductivity and charge-storage capability.