Conduction polymers such as polypyrrole and polyaniline are being extensively studied for their use in a wide range of new products. These materials are unique in that they have switchable properties due to their 2 or more mechanically stable oxidation states. Thus, films or coatings can be easily switched by the application of small voltages and currents to change the mechanical and electrical properties, the density, light absorbance and even to emit light in a diode arrangement. This paper discusses the factors that influence the performance of conducting polymers in four applications being developed at the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute: actuators, membranes, sensors and corrosion resistant coatings.

Date Published: 14 November 1997
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 3241, Smart Materials, Structures, and Integrated Systems, (14 November 1997); doi: 10.1117/12.293529

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3241:
Smart Materials, Structures, and Integrated Systems
Alex Hariz; Vijay K. Varadan; Olaf Reinhold, Editor(s)