Polyaniline – A Conducting Polymer: Electrochemical Synthesis and Electrochromic Properties
Bradford C. Sherman, William B. Euler, R. Ken Forcé, Journal of Chemical Education, 1994, 71, A94 – A96
Introduction
Conducting polymers have been under serious study for the last 15 years. This class of novel solid-state materials consists of linear organic polymers with extended π conjugation. The striking one-dimensional topology of these systems allows for an unusual physics that begets peculiar nonlinear charge-carrying particles with the esoteric names soliton, polaron, and bipolaron. After generating charge carriers by oxidative or reductive doping many conducting polymers demonstrate conductivities that begin to rival metallic standards such as copper. These materials have additional value in nonlinear optical applications and as optical memory elements. Conducting polymers are certain to play a role in the evolution of "smart materials" in 21st Century technology. However, virtually none of these marvelous discoveries pertaining to conducting polymers have filtered down to the undergraduate teaching laboratories.