Publisher's Synopsis
In general polymers have very poor electrical conductivity; some polymers such as polytetrafluroethylene find applications as electrical insulators. By the late 1970'a researches in Japan and United States had shown that the electrical conductivity of organic polymers could be increased by factor of 1012(~103Scm-1), when doped with an electron donor such as alkali metal ion or an electron acceptor such as arsenic pentaflouride (AsFs) or iodine. The conductivity of doped acetylene is comparable to that of copper on an equal weight basis. A number of polymers are electrically conductive or can be made so by doping them with electron donor or acceptor. Application polymers include polymeric electrodes for light-weight batteries, variable-transmission windows; electro chromic displays sensors and non-linear optical materials, light emitting diodes, semi conductive circuits, low current wires. The ever increasing importance of polymers for the electrical and electronic engineering industry is discussed in terms of their properties & structure. They show how the roles of these materials are becoming active rather than passive. Polymer Electronics is expected to become one of the key technologies in the 21st century. Semiconducting polymers are predicted to become the semiconducting material of this century, gaining a comparable share on the market as Si based technology gained during the previous century. Conjugated polymers exhibit a great variety of technologically relevant properties as for example absorption and emission of light or electrical and photoconductivity, thus making them useful materials for the application in electronic devices. Organic polymers typically offer the advantage that they are light-weight and flexible materials which can be processed from solution by spin coating or inkjet printing at room temperature. The electrical properties of polymers present almost limitless possibilities for industrial research and development. Special Polymers for Electronics and Optoelectronics provides an in-depth look at these remarkable molecules. In addition to traditional applications in insulating materials, wires, and cables, electrical polymers are increasingly being used in a range of emerging technologies. Today, there are literally hundreds of synthetic polymers commercially available with ranges of properties making them suitable for applications in many industrial sectors, including the electrical and electronics industries. In many instances the driving force behind the development of new materials actually came from the electronics industry, and today's advanced electronics would be inconceivable without these materials. Presenting a comprehensive overview of how electrical polymers function and how they can be applied in the electronics, automotive, medical, and military fields. This Book is intended for engineers and scientists who design, process, and manufacture microelectronic components, this book will also prove useful for hybrid and systems packaging managers who want to be informed of the very latest developments in this field.