Applications of Intrinsically Conducting Polymers

Since the discovery of electrically conductive polymers about five decades ago, these materials have become the focus of major research and development activities around the world. The excitement for this new generation of polymeric materials reflects their potential to combine the processibility and outstanding properties of conducting polymers with the exceptional, readily tailored electronic, and optical properties of functional organic molecules. Conducting polymers are not only conductive; they are also electro-active because of their nature, as well. Conductivity becomes useful in applications such as antistatic coatings materials, heat generation and electromagnetic shielding whereas electroactivity is utilized in application such as electrical displays, actuators and sensors. Other potential uses in technological applications are corrosion protection, artificial muscles, light-emitting diodes, field-effect transistors, photovoltaic cells, batteries. These applications have promoted the development of synthesis and processing methods of conjugated polymers with unique electronic properties. In this paper, conducting polymers and their general application areas have been discussed. Here we also discussed some recent patents which are relevant to conducting polymers.