Electrical Conductivity in Polymer-Based Composites: Experiments, Modelling and Applications offers detailed information on all aspects of conductive composites. These composites offer many benefits in comparison to traditional conductive materials, and have a broad range of applications, including electronic packaging, capacitors, thermistors, fuel cell devices, dielectrics, piezoelectric functions and ferroelectric memories. Sections cover the theory of electrical conductivity and the different categories of conductive composites, describing percolation threshold, tunneling effect and other phenomena in the field. Subsequent chapters present thorough coverage of the key phases in the development and use of conductive composites, including manufacturing methods, external parameters, applications, modelling and testing methods. This is an essential source of information for materials scientists and engineers working in the fields of polymer technology, processing and engineering, enabling them to improve manufacture and testing methods, and to benefit fully from applications. The book also provides industrial and academic researchers with a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of conductive composites and related issues. - Explains the methods used in the manufacture and testing of conductive composites, and in the modeling of electrical conductivity - Contains specialized information on the full range of applications for conductive composites, including conductive adhesives or pastes - Brings scientists, engineers and researchers up-to-date with the latest advances in the field

A comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the latest research trends in conductive polymers and polymer hybrids, summarizing recent achievements. The book begins by introducing conductive polymer materials and their classification, while subsequent chapters discuss the various syntheses, resulting properties and up-scaling as well as the important applications in biomedical and biotechnological fields, including biosensors and biodevices. The whole is rounded off by a look at future technological advances. The result is a well-structured, essential reference for beginners as well as experienced researchers.

Those who recognize that our modern life style is dependent, to a large extent, on the use of organic polymers as thermal and elec trical insulators, may be surprised to learn that specific plastics may also be used as conductors of electricity. In addition to demon strating the versatility of polymers, this use as conductors will lead to developments which were not possible with other available materials of construction. This is a new field which is growing rapidly because of intensive research and developmental efforts by many different industrial, governmental and university investigators. Many of these researchers reported advances in this art at a symposium on conductive polymers sponsored by the American Chemical Society's Division of Organic Coatings and Plastics Chemistry held at the Second Chemical Congress of the North American Continent at Las Vegas, in August 1980. The proceedings of this timely symposium are presented in this book. The editor wishes to take this opportunity to express his grati tude to the authors who contributed to this book and to the ACS Organic Coatings and Plastics Division for sponsoring this effort. Raymond B. Seymour Department of Polymer Science University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS 39401 v CONTENTS 1 New Horizons in Conductive Polymers Raymond B. Seymour Synthesis and Characterization of Conductive 7 Palladium Containing Polyimide Films • T.L. Wohlford. J. Schaff. L.T. Taylor.

Thermoelectric materials are scrutinized as energy materials and sensing materials. Indeed, they convert thermal energy into electrical energy. In addition, those materials are actively sensitive to a temperature modification through the generation of an electric signal. Organic thermoelectric (OTE) materials are complementary to inorganic thermoelectric materials, as they possess unique properties such as solution processing, ionic conductivity, flexibility, and softness. While thin-film OTE materials have been widely studied because they are easily manufactured by various coating techniques, little is done in the creation of three-dimensional morphologies of OTE materials; which is important to develop large temperature gradients. Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on the planet. Recently, the applications of cellulose are not only limited in making papers but also in electronics as the cellulose provide 3-D microstructures and mechanical strength. One promising approach to make 3-D OTE bulks is using cellulose as scaffold because of their properties of relatively high mechanical strength, water processability and environmentally friendly performance. The aims of the thesis have been to enlarge the applications of an OTE material poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), with an approach of making 3-D aerogels composite with nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC), in two main areas: (1) multi-parameter sensors and (2) solar vapor generators. In the first application, we demonstrate that the new thermoelectric aerogel responds independently to pressure P, temperature T and humidity RH. Hence, when it is submitted to the three stresses (T, P, RH), the electrical characterization of the material enables to measure the three parameters without cross-talking effects. Thermoelectric aerogels are foreseen as active materials in electronic skins and robotics. In the second application, the conducting polymer aerogels are employed as solar absorbers to convert solar energy into heat and significantly increased the water evaporation rate. The IR absorption is efficient because of the free-electron in the conducting polymer PEDOT nano-aggregates. Because of the low cost of those materials and the water stability of the crosslinked aerogels, they could be of importance for water desalination. Termoelektriska material har utvärderats som energi- och sensormaterial. Som energimaterial har de studerats som ett sätt att transformera termisk energi till elektrisk energi, och har använts för kylnings- och uppvärmningsapplikationer. Som sensormaterial kan de känna av temperatur eller temperaturskillnader och tillhandahåller elektriska signaler. Organiska termoelektriska (OTE) material, det vill säga kolbaserade termoelektriska material, är komplementära till inorganiska termoelektriska material eftersom de har unika egenskaper så som processbarhet i lösningsform, jonisk ledningsförmåga, böjbarhet, och mjukhet. Tunna filmer av OTE-material har vida studerats eftersom de är lätta att tillverka via olika beläggningsmetoder, men tredimensionella strukturer är till stor del ett outforskat område och är viktigt för att uppnå stora temperaturgradienter. Cellulosa är ett billigt material som utgör den vanligaste biopolymeren på vår planet. Nyligen så har applikationerna för cellulosa sträckt sig bortom papperstillverkning och används nu även inom elektronik för att förse 3D-mikrostrukturer och mekanisk styrka. En lovande metod för att tillverka 3D-strukturer av OTE-material är genom att använda cellulosanätverk på grund av dess relativt höga mekaniska styrka, processbarhet i vattenlösningar och dess miljövänlighet. Syftet med denna avhandling har varit att bredda applikationerna för OTE-materialet poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), genom att tillverka 3D aerogelkompositer med nanofibrillerad cellulosa (NFC). Detta har gjorts inom två områden: (1) Multiparameter-sensorer och (2) solar vapor generators. För den första applikationen så demonstrerar vi att de nya termoelektriska aerogelerna har oberoende signaler från tryck, temperatur och relativ fuktighet. Det vill säga att när materialet utsätts för dessa stimuli så kan signalerna som genereras urskiljas av utan överhörning. De termoelektriska aerogelena förutses bli användbara inom områden så som elektronisk hud och robotik. För den andra applikationen används de elektriskt ledande aerogelena för att absorbera solljus för att omvandla solenergi till värme vilket kan öka förångningshastigheten hos vatten. Absorptionen i IR-området är effektivt eftersom de rörliga elektronerna i den ledande polymeren nano-aggregerar. På grund av den låga kostnaden hos dessa material och våtstabiliteten hos korslänkade aerogeler kan dessa material tänkas användas för vattenavsaltning.

The book presents recent developments in the field of thermoelectric polymers and polymer composites. It focuses on the link between thermoelectric characteristics and material structure. Topics covered include chemical composition, microstructure, dopants, doping levels, methods of fabrication, thermoelectric effect, thermoelectric device conversion efficiency, and thermoelectric properties of conducting polymers. Keywords: Cage Compounds, Calixarenes, Conducting Polymers, Cryptophanes, Energy Conversion, Half-Heusler Compounds, Skutterudite Compounds, Hybrid Thermoelectric Materials, Supramolecular Chemistry, Thermoelectric Conversion Efficiency, Thermoelectric Plastics.

This book is a collection of papers by individuals in industry and academia on research and application development of conductive polymers and plastics. Conductive plastics are positioned to play an increasingly important role in affairs of mankind, specifically in the area of electrical and electronic conductivity. While general knowledge about conductive polymers and plastics has been available for many years, a true understanding of their application has only taken place in the last 3 to 4 years. This is attributed to advances in materials and processing techniques. Engineers have only begun to explore the design freedom and economic benefits of specifying conductive polymers and plastics in industrial and business applications.This book is a key reference and guide to the use of conductive polymers and plastics. It is a summary of existing technologies, but also a look at future possibilities.

This book summarises the significant progress made in organic thermoelectric materials, focusing on effective routes to minimize thermal conductivity and maximize power factor.