Aluminum-doped　zinc　oxide　(AZO)　conductive　powders　were　successfully　obtained　through　an　attractive　method　based　on　the　pyrolysis　of　coprecipitated　precursors　in　arc　plasma　processing.　The　as-prepared　powders　were　characterized　by　the　x-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　and　UV-vis　spectrum.　The　results　reveal　that　Al　atoms　are　doped　into　ZnO　lattice　successfully　and　all　the　samples　are　polycrystalline　with　a　hexagonal　wurtzite　structure.　Moreover,　the　particle　size　of　aluminum　doped　zinc　oxide　prepared　from　the　plasma　pyrolysis　was　smaller　than　conventional　thermal　calcination.　Afterward,　the　synthesized　powders　were　reinforced　into　polypropylene　(PP)　matrix　and　the　dispersion　of　the　AZO　filler　in　the　PP　matrix　was　observed　by　SEM.　In　addition,　the　effect　of　AZO　concentrations　on　the　electrical　and　mechanical　properties　of　PP　composites　was　investigated　via　resistance　measurement,　tensile　and　impact　tests,　respectively.　The　results　show　that　the　electrical　and　mechanical　properties　depend　on　the　concentration　and　dispersion　of　AZO　nanoparticles　in　the　matrix.　(c)　2015　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.　J.　Appl.　Polym.　Sci.　2015,　132,　41990.