Conducting Polymers from future technologies

HIGHLY CONDUCTING POLYMERS FROM FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES -SPECULATION ON ULTIMATELY OBTAINABLE PROPERTIES. 

Finally, it should be noted that the recent development of so-called third generation biosensors to achieve direct electron transfer from redox enzyme, oxidoreductase to the electrode without mediators, but through a series of enzyme cofactors or conductive polymers to transfer electrons from the enzyme redox center to the electrode surface [161-164]. This concept with the current technology for preparing miniature sensors with nanotechnology is of great interest to many researchers trying to develop practical sensors in clinical, environmental and industrial analysis. Whether with mediators or without, research for optimum sensor development for various purposes will be intensive in the future. 

Technological applications, may be divided into two classes — (i) that in which a conducting polymer is presently used in, and sold for a given purpose, and (ii) that in which it is not presently being used and sold but which has technological potential ranging from very high to the more exotic cases, where specific applications, if any, may be in the distant future. Some of these will be described in a later section. 

Companies from Alstom and AlliedSignal to Westinghouse and W.R. Grace have tried to make conductive polymers into a success, but they have reportedly curtailed or aborted their research. Even though one application for the material— flat-panel displays for televisions and computers— is starting to involve researchers again, much of the payoff for this technology lies in the future. 

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