Applications of Conductive Polymers

Conductive polymers are being used more and more as a substitute for metallic conductors and semiconductors. The moduli of conductive polymers are much lower than the metallic components, but they have better performance in special applications such as soft biological tissues and rubbers. Moreover, polymer constituents and manufacturing parameters can be varied to adjust the mechanical and electrical properties of these polymers. This book has eight chapters containing a broad range of application of conducting polymers. Chapter 1 is an introduction to conducting polymers and it explains the history, classification, synthesis routes and electrical properties of these polymers. Application of conductive polymers in drug delivery systems is discussed in Chapter 2 while Chapter 3 focuses on the applications of these polymers in textile industry. Chapter 4 discusses the applications of conductive polymers in development of supercapacitors and in Chapter 5, their applications in developing organic solar cells are explained. Chapter 6 summarizes applications of conductive polymers in membrane development and Chapter 7 discusses their applications in tissue engineering and medical area. Finally, a detailed description of different conductive polymers and their application in energy storage systems are discussed in Chapter 8. This book can be used as a textbook for students and researchers in materials science, chemical engineering, and polymer technology. In addition, it can be used by industrial experts and engineers who need detailed information about conductive polymers.